Jump to:

• woomera
  woomera

  noun

  a notched stick used by Australian Aboriginal peoples to propel spears or darts.
• Woomera
  Woomera

  noun

  a town in South Australia: site of the Long Range Weapons Establishment. Pop: 602 (2001)

woomera

American  

[woom-er-uh] / ˈwʊm ər ə /

noun

1. a notched stick used by Australian Aboriginal peoples to propel spears or darts.

---

Woomera ¹ British  

/ ˈwʊmərə /

noun

1. a town in South Australia: site of the Long Range Weapons Establishment. Pop: 602 (2001)

---

woomera ² British  

/ ˈwʊmərə /

noun

1. a type of notched stick used by native Australians to increase leverage and propulsion in the throwing of a spear

---

Etymology

Origin of woomera

First recorded in 1810–20, woomera is from the Dharuk word wu-ma-ra

Example Sentences

Locals believe it portrays an Aboriginal man carrying a woomera - a throwing stick - in his left hand.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2018

The spear is thrown by means of a woomera which is a slight rod about three feet long having at one end a niche to receive the end of the spear.

From Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 by Mitchell, Thomas

He carried two spears, a woomera, and a boomerang, while an appliance for making fire hung at his belt.

From In the Musgrave Ranges by Sayce, Conrad H. (Conrad Harvey)

They can hurl their spears with terrible effect for a hundred yards or more, with the assistance of the woomera, a piece of wood which is retained in the hand, and acts as a lever.

From Wild Adventures in Wild Places by Stables, Gordon

As the hand moves forward the spear is released by uplifting the forefinger, and the woomera remains in the hand.

From Spinifex and Sand by Carnegie, David Wynford