wonga-wonga

American  

[wong-uh-wong-uh] / ˈwɒŋ əˈwɒŋ ə /

noun

1. a woody Australian vine, Pandorea pandorana, of the bignonia family, having showy clusters of yellowish-white flowers streaked with purple.

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wonga-wonga British  

/ ˈwɒŋəˈwɒŋə /

noun

1. Also called: wonga pigeon.  a large Australian pigeon, Leucosarcia melanoleuca

2. an Australian evergreen vine of the genus Pandorea or Tecoma, esp T. australis

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Etymology

Origin of wonga-wonga

1890–95; by ellipsis from wonga-wonga vine, perhaps to be identified with wonga-wonga a kind of pigeon < Dharuk wa-ŋa-wa-ŋa

Example Sentences

Amongst the game of southern forests the wonga-wonga and bronze-wing pigeons are two really splendid birds, the latter as large as an ordinary blue-rock, and the former making all varieties of the pigeon tribe look like mere dwarfs beside them.

From Project Gutenberg

Wonga-wonga, wong′ga-wong′ga, n. the large Australian white-faced pigeon—a table delicacy.

From Project Gutenberg

Behold that splendid flock of wonga-wonga pigeons, with bronzen wings, that seem to shake the sunshine off them in showers of silver and gold, or, lower down, that mob of snowy-breasted cockatoos, going somewhere to do something, no doubt, and making a dreadful din about it, but quite a sight, if only from the glints of lily and rose that appear in the white of their outstretched wings and tails.

From Project Gutenberg

The fine large Wonga-Wonga Pigeon is becoming rare.

From Project Gutenberg

The wonga-wonga and bronze-wing and great fruit-pigeons are, like the "bald-pates" of Jamaica, all favourite birds with sportsmen, and some of the birds are far more brightly coloured than ours.

From Project Gutenberg