quokka

American  

[kwok-uh] / ˈkwɒk ə /

noun

1. a small wallaby, Setonix brachyurus, inhabiting islands and swampy areas in southwestern Australia.

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quokka British  

/ ˈkwɒkə /

noun

1. a small wallaby, Setonix brachyurus , of Western Australia, occurring mostly on offshore islands

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Etymology

Origin of quokka

First recorded in 1860–65, quokka is from the Nyungar word kwaka

Example Sentences

Are 'quokka selfies' cause for concern?

From BBC

An 11-month-old quokka joey survived and is recovering in the zoo's health centre.

From BBC

“Kids see Jason on the cover with a cute little rottie — a magical version of the Australian quokka — and they ask about other magical animals in the book,” she said.

From Washington Post

We are famed for having some of the cutest animals on the planet — such as the koala and the quokka — as well as many of the world’s most dangerous.

From Washington Post

The study, led by the University of Leeds in Britain, Singapore Airlines and Western Australia’s tourism agency, featured videos of a quokka — a cuddly-looking wallaby native to Australia that the internet dubbed “the happiest animal on earth.”

From New York Times