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

Meanwhile, Brittany wore a kangaroo onesie and light brown winter boots. —Raven Brunner, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024

Most testers comfortably buckled a backpack over the streamlined kangaroo pouch, but some mentioned that the bulky side pocket zippers could rub beneath the straps. —Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, 31 Oct. 2024

Species of rodents, bears, badgers, kangaroos and deer, among others, can make use of this process naturally, while scientists have triggered it in experiments in many others. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2024

Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images In Australia, unique species abound – from koalas and kangaroos to wombats and emus. —Julie Depenbrock, NPR, 13 Sep. 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