koala

American  

[koh-ah-luh] / koʊˈɑ lə /

noun

koalas plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• koalas
  plural

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

See Examples For:

koala koalas

This gave them a more accurate way to trace how koala populations expanded, contracted and separated over thousands of years.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

A major genomic analysis is changing scientists' understanding of koala evolution.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

The new analysis suggests that a major koala population decline began around 100,000 years ago.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

Buc-ee’s also sued Georgia-based Teddy’s Market this year over its koala bear.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

We can’t rely on instinct like the koala does.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

This allowed them to calculate a precise mutation rate for koalas, which was about half the rate found in humans.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

Fossil evidence is too limited to show precisely how many koalas lived in Australia 100,000 years ago, Mr. Kovacs said.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

By examining how koalas responded to earlier population crashes and recoveries, scientists may be able to develop better conservation strategies for protecting the species today.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

Researchers found the odds of adult koalas being admitted into care or dying in the Australian state of New South Wales rose when average maximum temperatures over a seven-day period reached 27C.

From Barron's ● May 26, 2026

But, unlike koalas and monarch butterflies, omnivores not only can eat different foods, we need to eat a variety of foods to stay healthy.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan