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

There are kangaroo paws, California lilac, white rockrose, coastal rosemary and mat rushes. —Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025

The trial was a kangaroo circus packed with sophism, subterfuge, and courtroom chicanery. —Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025

Eight miles from South Australia, Kangaroo Island is a nature haven with abundant wildlife, including kangaroos, sea lions, koalas, wallabies and echidnas. —Jennifer Kester, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

At Cedar Creek Park, there will be a variety of family-friendly entertainment that includes bounce houses, a live mermaid, baby kangaroos, bumper boats and a petting zoo. —Cathy Kozlowicz, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025

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