pademelon

American  

[pad-ee-mel-uhn] / ˈpæd iˌmɛl ən /

Or paddymelon

noun

1. any of several small Australian wallabies, especially of the genus Thylogale.

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pademelon British  

/ ˈpædɪˌmɛlən /

noun

1. a small wallaby of the genus Thylogale, of coastal scrubby regions of Australia

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Etymology

Origin of pademelon

1820–30; perhaps < Dharuk, altered by folk etymology

Example Sentences

The dusky pademelon joey was just the size of a jelly bean when it was born at Chester Zoo.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2022

But we also marveled at the sight of a pademelon carefully grooming the tiny joey in its pouch, so unused to humans that it seemed not to even notice us.

From New York Times • Jan. 25, 2013

The crack of dry bark, the whistle of whip birds and sometimes a thundering in the undergrowth – a wombat, a pademelon – it all makes Jimmy feel younger.

From The Guardian • Sep. 6, 2010