kiwi

[ kee-wee ]
/ ˈki wi /

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.
  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.
Informal. a New Zealander.

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Origin of kiwi

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1825–35

Words nearby kiwi

kiva, kiver, kivu, kiwanis, kiwano, kiwi, kiwi ferns, kiwi fruit, kiwiana, kiwis, kiwisports
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Example sentences from the Web for kiwi

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