kiwi

noun

ki·​wi ˈkē-(ˌ)wē 

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

Illustration of kiwi

• kiwi 1

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

Bananas, strawberries, apples, mangoes, pears, and kiwis are great candidates for this. —Christina Manian, Health, 18 June 2025

Think strawberry, mandarin orange, yellow watermelon, kiwi and blueberry. —Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 June 2025

In our testing, a stellar standout smoothie was the Dragon Fruit and Strawberry blend, which is made from strawberries, banana, kiwi, lychee, dragon fruit, pea protein, acaí powder, maca, hemp protein, chia seeds, and flax seeds. —Betty Gold Kider, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 June 2025

On the tip of each nail, Krok painted tropical fruit textures, including passionfruit, dragonfruit, kiwi, and blood orange, and did the same on two of Megan's toenails with an up-close orange design. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 4 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Maori

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

kiwi

noun

ki·​wi ˈkē-(ˌ)wē 

1

: a flightless New Zealand bird with weak and undeveloped wings, stout legs, a long bill, and grayish brown hairlike feathers

2

: kiwifruit