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 that, Nearmap turned to Sci-eye, a company that uses its AI models to count kangaroos, to inform government culls. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

The Rams’ sluggish effort against the San Francisco 49ers has become social media fodder after the team got bounced like a kangaroo in Australia on Thursday night. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

Buy Gold Britannia coins Australian Gold Kangaroo The Perth Mint launched the Gold Nugget series in 1986, transitioning to a kangaroo design in 1990 and officially rebranding as the Australian Gold Kangaroo in 2008. — Sharon Wu, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026

From Elle Duncan's OJ-like gloves to having Roger Goodell put on a kangaroo coat, the Netflix broadcasts feel so cheap. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 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