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 neon kangaroo flickered, releasing a rhythmic, neon buzz.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

At Meituan’s headquarters, Cheng ordered pearl milk tea on her phone, delivered by drone, before the company’s chairman, Wang Xing, presented her with the kangaroo mascot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

That means that for passengers aboard Journey Beyond’s Australian train rides, you may be biting down on a piece of grilled kangaroo as one hops away in the distance.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

To recreate the original stuffed toy version of Roo, the baby kangaroo that appears in author AA Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026

If it failed, the reserve parachute that was strapped to my belly like a baby kangaroo would be my last hope.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

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

New research suggests that the giant ancestors of modern kangaroos may not have been as limited in their movement as once believed.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 23, 2026

Except for the birds and reptiles, all these animals were marsupials—like kangaroos, they gave birth to tiny, helpless, fetus-like young which they then nurtured with milk in abdominal pouches.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

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