kangaroo

noun

kan·​ga·​roo ˌkaŋ-gə-ˈrü How to pronounce kangaroo (audio)
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

Illustration of kangaroo

Examples of kangaroo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Imagine hopping out your back door to see two massive kangaroos trading blows. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026 Somebody nursed this dingo back to health after his kangaroo encounter. — ArsTechnica, 18 May 2026 Police in Waco, Texas, found themselves in an unusually bouncy pursuit to recapture a runaway kangaroo. — Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 28 May 2026 Just outside, Jumping Junction is a new habitat where kangaroos and wallabies roam, tying neatly into Bluey's Australian roots. — Jacqueline Dole, Southern Living, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for kangaroo

Word History

Etymology

Guugu Yimidhirr (Australian aboriginal language of northern Queensland) gaŋurru

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kangaroo was in 1770

Phrases Containing kangaroo

Rhymes for kangaroo

See All Rhymes for kangaroo

Browse Nearby Words

kangany
kangaroo
kangaroo's-foot
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kangaroo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kangaroo. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

kangaroo

noun
kan·​ga·​roo ˌkaŋ-gə-ˈrü How to pronounce kangaroo (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on kangaroo

Nglish: Translation of kangaroo for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kangaroo

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