kangaroo

American  

[kang-guh-roo] / ˌkæŋ gəˈru /

noun

• kangaroos,
  plural
• kangaroo
  plural

1. any herbivorous marsupial of the family Macropodidae, of Australia and adjacent islands, having a small head, short forelimbs, powerful hind legs used for leaping, and a long, thick tail: several species are threatened or endangered.

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kangaroo British  

/ ˌkæŋɡəˈruː /

noun

1. any large herbivorous marsupial of the genus Macropus and related genera, of Australia and New Guinea, having large powerful hind legs, used for leaping, and a long thick tail: family Macropodidae See also rat kangaroo tree kangaroo

2. (usually plural) stock exchange an Australian share, esp in mining, land, or a tobacco company

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verb

1. informal (of a car) to move forward or to cause (a car) to move forward with short sudden jerks, as a result of improper use of the clutch

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• kangaroo-like
  adjective
• kangaroolike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• kangaroo
  plural
• kangaroos
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of kangaroo

First recorded in 1760–70; from Guugu Yimidhirr (an Australian Aboriginal language spoken around Cooktown, northern Queensland) gaŋ-urru, a large black or gray species of kangaroo

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Compare meaning

How does kangaroo compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• wallaby vs. kangaroo

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Explanation

A kangaroo is a large animal that leaps or springs on its big, strong back legs and uses its heavy tail for balance. If you visit Australia (or the zoo), you may see a kangaroo. Kangaroos are known for their habits of sitting upright and springing great distances. Female kangaroos have pouches in which they carry their babies. The word kangaroo is thought to come from a now-extinct Aboriginal language's word for a specific kind of kangaroo, gaNurru or gang-oo-roo. A "kangaroo court" is one that operates outside of the law, often with the intention of quickly (and unjustly) trying someone for a crime.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kangaroo kangaroos

The chairman of Meituan, one of China’s biggest tech companies, gave Cheng a plushy kangaroo, the corporate mascot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Unexpectedly, it started with a discussion about a pet kangaroo Lambert had once owned.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

A commonly eaten meat in Australia, kangaroo is the world’s leanest protein and the equivalent of venison in America.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

But according to the New York Public Library, the kangaroo toy that inspired Roo "was lost in an apple orchard during the 1930s".

From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026

I would gladly have flown with Ed, or John, or by myself, or with a kangaroo.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

Employees routinely took newborn kangaroos, wildcats and goats home overnight to provide round-the-clock feeding.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

Researchers are also interested in whether similar limb preferences found in animals such as parrots and kangaroos could point to deeper evolutionary patterns shared across very different species.

From Science Daily ● May 18, 2026

There was also a brief cameo for Eurovision superfan Will Ferrell, and a bizarre song about the differences between Austria and Australia, which mainly centred around kangaroos.

From BBC ● May 12, 2026

Video showed the critter nervously perched on a shelf, seamlessly blending in with the toy kangaroos and bears.

From Barron's ● Mar. 19, 2026

European settlers, such as those that I encounter in New Guinea with pet kangaroos and possums, have tamed or made pets of many local mammals, just as have indigenous peoples.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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