kiwi

noun

ki·wi | \ ˈkē-(ˌ)wē

Definition of kiwi

1 : any of a small genus (Apteryx) of flightless New Zealand birds with rudimentary wings, stout legs, a long bill, and grayish brown hairlike plumage

2 capitalized : a native or resident of New Zealand —used as a nickname

3 : kiwifruit

Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about kiwi

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Did You Know?

A kiwi is any of three species of chicken-sized, grayish brown flightless birds found in New Zealand. Their Maori name refers to the male's shrill call. Kiwis have vestigial wings hidden within the plumage; nostrils at the tip (rather than the base) of the long flexible bill; soft, hairlike feathers; and stout, muscular legs. Each of the four toes has a large claw. Kiwis live in forests, where they sleep by day and forage for worms, insects and their larvae, and berries at night. They run swiftly and use their claws in defense when cornered.

Examples of kiwi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The dollar climbed, with the yen, pound and kiwi weakening the most of G-10 peers. — Erin Roman, Bloomberg.com, "Everything You Need to Know This Morning From Daybreak (Podcast)," 15 Aug. 2017 Skip apples, dried fruit and mangoes and opt instead for fruits lower in fructose or sorbitol, like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, banana, cantaloupe, pineapple and oranges. — SELF, "Why This Registered Dietitian Tells (Some of) Her Patients to Avoid Kale Salads," 30 Nov. 2018 New Zealand’s dollar, known as the kiwi, has lost 5.7% this year. — Ira Iosebashvili, WSJ, "U.S. Dollar’s Rise Puts Canada, Australia, New Zealand in Spotlight," 26 Aug. 2018 Sprays of periwinkle hydrangeas burst in feckless disarray from clutches of kiwi-green leaves, a leafy halo for the diaphanous peach rose. — Tamar Adler, Vogue, "What Statement Should Your Wedding Cake Make?," 17 May 2018 Local brand Health-Ade recently launched its newest flavor — a jalapeño, kiwi and cucumber concoction that has slightly spicy notes. — Kavita Daswani, latimes.com, "Fourth of July BBQ draaaanks that won't blow your diet," 29 June 2018 The greenback strengthened, with the kiwi, loonie and Aussie dollar lagging the most of G-10 peers. — Erin Roman, Bloomberg.com, "Everything You Need to Know This Morning From Daybreak (Podcast)," 7 Nov. 2017 Combine kiwi, avocado, chile (if using), lime juice, parsley or cilantro and honey, if using, in a small bowl. — Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Table for 1: For solo diners, cooking at home offers many perks," 12 July 2018 As for the influence of California on their work, Novogratz points to the fruit rugs shaped like slices of orange, kiwi, lemon, lime, avocado and watermelon ($39-$49). — Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, "The Novogratz Pop-Up Shop Brings Sunny High-Low Furnishings to Fred Segal," 18 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kiwi.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.