kiwi

[ kee-wee ]

/ ˈki wi /

Save This Word!

noun, plural ki·wis.

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

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

Slang.

a member of an air service, as in World War I, who is confined to ground duty.
a former pilot or member of a flight crew.

Informal. a New Zealander.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of kiwi

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1825–35

Words nearby kiwi

kiva, kiver, Kivu, Kiwanis, Kiwano, kiwi, Kiwiana, Kiwi Ferns, kiwi fruit, Kiwis, kiwisports

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use kiwi in a sentence

You’ll see strawberry kiwi, you see strawberry goji berry, strawberry acai berry, because, “Well, I like strawberry, so I’m willing to try whatever the other new thing is, as long as it’s still with strawberries.”
The Downside of Disgust (Ep. 448)|Stephen J. Dubner|January 21, 2021|Freakonomics
On Monday, the Kiwi singer announced a new collaboration with MAC Cosmetics.
Lorde Announces MAC Collaboration; ‘Vamp’ Magazine Puts Women on Top|The Fashion Beast Team|March 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When Dmitri visited, he would act as a megaphone, relaying to his mother what her ears could not catch of my Kiwi accent.
Remembering Dmitri Nabokov, the Novelist’s Son and Literary Executor|Brian Boyd|May 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
First Kiwi, the 17-year-old son, departs to land a job working in the World of Darkness theme park.
Great Weekend Reads|The Daily Beast|February 12, 2011|DAILY BEAST

The radical element here is kiwi-, a verb stem indicating the general notion of “indefinite movement round about, here and there.”
Language|Edward Sapir
I can't think it's on account of their looks; for there's the kiwi, the hornbill, and sakes alive—the puffins!
The Adventures of a Grain of Dust|Hallam Hawksworth
Another of the long-nosed earth workers, as curious in his make-up as the flamingoes, is the kiwi of New Zealand.
The Adventures of a Grain of Dust|Hallam Hawksworth
Katipo killed a kiwi in the course of our morning's hunt, and this bird is now being skinned, cut up, and roasted on sticks.
Brighter Britain! (Volume 1 of 2)|William Delisle Hay
Allied to these are the four species of Kiwi or apteryx, still existing there.
More Science From an Easy Chair|Sir E. Ray (Edwin Ray) Lankester

British Dictionary definitions for kiwi

kiwi

/ (ˈkiːwiː) /

noun plural kiwis

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

short for kiwi fruit

informal a New Zealander

Word Origin for kiwi

C19: from Māori, of imitative origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012