wonga-wonga

[ wong-uh-wong-uh ]

noun

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

wonga-wonga

/ ˈwɒŋəˈwɒŋə /

noun

1. Also calledwonga pigeon a large Australian pigeon, Leucosarcia melanoleuca
2. an Australian evergreen vine of the genus Pandorea or Tecoma, esp T. australis

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonga-wonga¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonga-wonga¹

from a native Australian language

Example Sentences

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

From Project Gutenberg

A large flight of Wonga Wonga pigeons were feeding on the seeds of various species of Acacia; we shot two of them.

From Project Gutenberg