kiwi

American  

[kee-wee] / ˈki wi /

noun

• kiwis
  plural

1. any of several flightless, ratite birds of the genus Apteryx, of New Zealand, allied to the extinct moas.

2. Also called Chinese gooseberry. the egg-sized, edible berry of the Chinese gooseberry, having fuzzy brownish skin and slightly tart green flesh.

3. Slang.

   1. a member of an air service, as in World War I, who is confined to ground duty.

   2. a former pilot or member of a flight crew.

4. Informal. a New Zealander.

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kiwi British  

/ ˈkiːwiː /

noun

1. any nocturnal flightless New Zealand bird of the genus Apteryx, having a long beak, stout legs, and weakly barbed feathers: order Apterygiformes See ratite

2. short for kiwi fruit

3. informal a New Zealander

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• kiwis
  plural

Etymology

Origin of kiwi

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1825–35

Explanation

A kiwi is a sweet fruit that's originally from China but today is most often grown in New Zealand. See that little green fruit with tiny edible seeds in your fruit salad? It's kiwi! New Zealanders use the word kiwi for a chicken-sized, flightless bird, or sometimes as a nickname for a person from New Zealand. The small, fuzzy-skinned fruit that North Americans call kiwi is known as either kiwifruit or Chinese gooseberry in New Zealand. The word kiwi first referred to the bird, and it comes from Maori.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kiwi kiwis

Key exports from India include basmati rice, sugar, fresh fruits and pharmaceuticals, while major imports include pistachios, apples, kiwi and dates.

From Barron's ● Jan. 13, 2026

For the first few days of the week she suggests I make a breakfast bowl of flax seeds, chia seeds, kefir, blueberries, kiwi or pomegranate.

From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026

Before humans, flightless birds like the kākāpō and kiwi thrived.

From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2025

As it faces habitat loss and fragmentation of its remaining habitat as well as the ravages of invasive species like domestic dogs, unmanaged kiwi populations are continuing to decline by 2% every year.

From Salon ● May 15, 2025

He was staring out into the garden, past the rows of herbs, toward a shed hidden behind a trellised kiwi tree.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram

Instead, add a handful of berries, kiwis, or other fruits rich in fiber and antioxidants.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 21, 2026

Brown kiwis have been reintroduced to a “newly stoat-free Wellington suburb,” where residents now awaken every morning to the screeches and songs of native parrots, pigeons and tuis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

"Be sure to get adequate protein and include foods rich in vitamin C like strawberries, kiwis, red bell peppers, and citrus fruits."

From Science Daily ● Jan. 29, 2026

“Let’s bring them back. You want kiwis? Bring them back.”

From Salon ● May 15, 2025

We can buy kiwis from New Zealand and grapes from Chile.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan