emu

¹

[ee-myoo]

noun

1. a large, flightless, ratite bird, Emu (Dromaius ) novaehollandiae, of Australia, resembling the ostrich but smaller and having a feathered head and neck and rudimentary wings.

EMU

²

1. Also electromagnetic unit.

2. Aerospace.,  extravehicular mobility unit.

EMU

¹

abbreviation

1. European Monetary Union

2. Economic and Monetary Union

3. See e.m.u.

e.m.u.

²

abbreviation

1. electromagnetic unit

emu

³

/ ˈiːmjuː /

noun

1. a large Australian flightless bird, Dromaius novaehollandiae, similar to the ostrich but with three-toed feet and grey or brown plumage: order Casuariiformes See also ratite

EMU

1. Abbreviation of electromagnetic unit

Word History and Origins

Origin of emu¹

1605–15; earlier emeu (in earliest E source emia, eme ), ultimately < Portuguese ema, attested in 1541 as a name for the cassowary (further origin obscure); the replacement of -a by -eu, etc., is unexplained

Word History and Origins

Origin of emu¹

C17: changed from Portuguese ema ostrich, from Arabic Na-`amah ostrich

Example Sentences

She knew the Latin phrase “tempus fugit,” which means “time flies,” like a bird—but there were flightless birds, after all: ostriches and emus and dodos and so on.

Read more on Literature

The newspaper reported that the birds had succeeded his pet emu, Toby, who regularly attacked his wife, the actor Cheryl Hines, and was later killed by a mountain lion.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Back at the house, Ms. Hines confirmed: “This emu was so aggressive.”

Read more on New York Times

By analyzing data from T. rex remains as well as data from the theropod's closest living bird relatives, including emus and ostriches, Herculano-Houzel concluded that theropod brains had in excess of three billion neurons.

Read more on Salon

And in “Edward the Emu,” by Sheena Knowles, an emu who has tired of the zoo tries on life as a seal, a lion and a snake.

Read more on New York Times