koala

American  

[koh-ah-luh] / koʊˈɑ lə /

noun

1. a sluggish, tailless, gray, furry, arboreal marsupial, Phascolarctos cinereus, of Australia.

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koala British  

/ kəʊˈɑːlə /

noun

1. Also called (Austral): native bear.  a slow-moving Australian arboreal marsupial, Phascolarctus cinereus, having dense greyish fur and feeding on eucalyptus leaves and bark

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Etymology

Origin of koala

1800–10; erroneous spelling for earlier koola ( h ) (now obsolete) < Dharuk gú-la

Explanation

A koala is a small Australian animal that lives primarily in trees and is often mistaken for a bear. Koalas, not bears at all, are actually related to kangaroos. Koalas, like their kangaroo cousins, are marsupials, animals that carry their young in pouches. They do resemble bears, with their round bodies and ears, thick gray fur, stubby tails, and bear-like behavior. The name koala comes from the Australian Aboriginal language Dharug, in which this animal is called a gula. Koalas are famous for eating eucalyptus leaves and being generally adorable.

Example Sentences

An Australian animal welfare group is seeking a heroic dog with an appetite for adventure for a full-time position as a koala rescuer.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Farallon also invested in fossil fuel projects, including an Australian coal mine that denuded thousands of acres of koala habitat and generated an enormous amount of carbon emissions.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

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 • Mar. 12, 2026

A new genomic study of koala populations in Australia suggests that rapid population growth may help restore genetic variation that was lost during past declines.

From Science Daily • Mar. 6, 2026

I wonder if she has a stuffed koala bear, too.

From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy