wallaby

[ wol-uh-bee ]

noun

, plural wal·la·bies, (especially collectively) wal·la·by.

1. any of various small and medium-sized kangaroos of the genera Macropus, Thylogale, Petrogale, etc., some of which are no larger than rabbits: several species are endangered.

Wallaby

¹

/ ˈwɒləbɪ /

noun

1. a member of the international Rugby Union football team of Australia

wallaby

²

/ ˈwɒləbɪ /

noun

1. any of various herbivorous marsupials of the genera Lagorchestes ( hare wallabies ), Petrogale ( rock wallabies ), Protemnodon, etc, of Australia and New Guinea, similar to but smaller than kangaroos: family Macropodidae
2. on the wallaby slang.
   on the wallabyon the wallaby track (of a person) wandering about looking for work

Word History and Origins

Origin of wallaby¹

First recorded in 1790–1800, wallaby is from the Dharuk word wa-la-ba

Word History and Origins

Origin of wallaby¹

C19: from native Australian wolabā

Example Sentences

The Australian savanna hosts animals like kangaroos and wallabies.

From Science News For Students

Having a pet wallaby says … actually, I’m not sure what that says.

From Popular-Science

One image looks like a wallaby hopping away from the camera.

From Popular-Science

They asked the director of the Buffalo Zoo for some wallaby hair.

From The Daily Beast

One of the police shot a large cassowary, and also a large wild pig and a wallaby, so there was plenty of food for all.

From Project Gutenberg

We also saw wallaby, and numerous tracks of cassowary and wild pig.

From Project Gutenberg

The Fitzroy wallaby was plentiful, and the Leader shot an emeu.

From Project Gutenberg

The wallaby is a smaller kind of kangaroo which is also hunted.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no sign of life or what has been life, except here and there the roasted carcase of a wallaby or kangaroo.

From Project Gutenberg