kangaroo

American  

[kang-guh-roo] / ˌkæŋ gəˈru /

noun

plural

kangaroos,

plural

kangaroo

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

• kangaroo-like adjective
• kangaroolike adjective

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

Example Sentences

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

From Barron's

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

The head and raised arms of a doll stick out of the left side of the hoodie’s kangaroo pocket.

From The Wall Street Journal

He had shorter arms, like a kangaroo, but not as tiny as a T. rex.

From Literature

"I hate losing, so that's my motivation," said Alcaraz, who plans to have a tattoo of a kangaroo to mark his achievement.

From Barron's