rat-kangaroo

[ rat-kang-guh-roo ]

noun

, plural rat-kan·ga·roos.

1. any of several rabbit-sized, ratlike Australian kangaroos of the subfamily Potoroinae.

rat kangaroo

noun

1. any of several ratlike kangaroos of the genera Bettongia, Potorous, Aepyprymnus, etc, found on the Australian mainland and in Tasmania

Word History and Origins

Origin of rat-kangaroo¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Amongst the ashes many bones could be seen, particularly the lower maxillary of some species of rat-kangaroo.

From Project Gutenberg