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

For reference, a kangaroo, a baby elephant or a grand piano all weigh 1000 pounds. — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

The leather for the upper of the shoe once came from kangaroo hide (not cowhide). — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 July 2026

Imagine hopping out your back door to see two massive kangaroos trading blows. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026

Now, Wallach has filed paperwork in Florida to run a new pet store and encounter business in Margate called Wildlife Adventures, featuring sloths, kangaroos, reptiles and birds. — Katie Surma, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2026

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

Rhymes for kangaroo

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue

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