koala

noun

ko·​ala kə-ˈwä-lə How to pronounce koala (audio)
kō-ˈä-
: an Australian arboreal marsupial (Phascolarctos cinereus) that has a broad head, large hairy ears, dense gray fur, and sharp claws and feeds on eucalyptus leaves

called also koala bear

Illustration of koala

Illustration of koala

Examples of koala in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Their oldest son, Shai, dressed as a container of Vegemite with their 16-month-old son Rio dressed as a koala. Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024 The eucalyptus tree is native to Australia and provides food and shelter to koalas, among other wildlife. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 8 Oct. 2024 The koala surfing, the fire-dancer twirling, the child flying a kite—everything looks superficially convincing. Gerui Wang, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024 Knights does not recommend people attempt to catch a koala. Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 28 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for koala 

Word History

Etymology

Dharuk (Australian aboriginal language of the Port Jackson area) gula, gulawanʸ

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of koala was in 1802

Dictionary Entries Near koala

Cite this Entry

“Koala.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/koala. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

koala

noun
ko·​ala kō-ˈäl-ə How to pronounce koala (audio)
kə-ˈwäl-ə
: an Australian tree-dwelling marsupial mammal that has large hairy ears, thick gray fur, sharp claws for climbing, and no tail and feeds on eucalyptus leaves

called also koala bear

More from Merriam-Webster on koala

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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