kangaroo

noun

kan·​ga·​roo ˌkaŋ-gə-ˈrü 

plural kangaroos

: any of various herbivorous leaping marsupial mammals (family Macropodidae) of Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands with a small head, large ears, long powerful hind legs, a long thick tail used as a support and in balancing, and rather small forelegs not used in locomotion

Illustration of kangaroo

Examples of kangaroo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This week is kangaroo mince Bolognese with a tonnnneee of basil. —Refinery29 Australia Team, refinery29.com, 22 Jan. 2024

This includes lions and tigers and bears (oh my), baby elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees, pythons, alligators, kangaroos, dolphins and 3,000-pound walruses. —John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 23 July 2024

Other animals in the exhibit include kangaroos, porcupines, parrots and various large reptiles. —Esther Sun, Sacramento Bee, 19 July 2024

Animals in the Australian zone include emus, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wombats and koalas. —Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 18 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Guugu Yimidhirr (Australian aboriginal language of northern Queensland) gaŋurru

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing kangaroo

• kangaroo court
• kangaroo rat
• red kangaroo

Kids Definition

kangaroo

noun

kan·​ga·​roo ˌkaŋ-gə-ˈrü 

plural kangaroos

: any of numerous leaping marsupial mammals of Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands that feed on plants and have a small head, long powerful hind legs, a long thick tail used as a support in standing or walking, and in the female a pouch on the abdomen in which the young are carried