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

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

Compare meaning

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

• wallaby vs. kangaroo

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

One of its newly added appetizers is a grilled saltbush-crusted kangaroo loin.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children have named an eastern grey kangaroo Cwtch, which is Welsh for cuddle, at Australia Zoo.

From BBC ● May 7, 2026

These were probably giant kangaroo rats, a native species whose numbers have been growing since their listing as an endangered species in 1987.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

Photos from that time show her posing with a kangaroo and a wombat and being embraced by a giant koala.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026

I link my arm through Sara’s and jump up and down like a kangaroo, until she jumps with me and we’re both laughing.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

The work represents the first direct estimate of a mutation rate for koalas or for any member of the marsupial order Diprotodontia, which also includes wombats, kangaroos and possums.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

"Thank you for your support with our wildlife conservation efforts. It is so important that we conserve all of our animals, including the icons, the kangaroos," he said in his video message.

From BBC ● May 7, 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

In the Arrivals Lounge, there were four life-sized cement kangaroos with cement pouches that said USE ME.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy