koala

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noun ko·ala \ kə-ˈwä-lə , kō-ˈä- \

Definition of koala

:an Australian arboreal marsupial (Phascolarctos cinereus) that has a broad head, large hairy ears, dense gray fur, and sharp claws and feeds on eucalyptus leaves — called also koala bear

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Recent Examples of koala from the Web

The Australia Zoo in Queensland has welcomed 12 baby koalas this breeding season.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Australian Zoo Asks For Help Naming Rare White Koala," 24 Aug. 2017
The little joey is on display at the Australia Zoo’s ‘Mums and Bubs’ section alongside other koala mothers and joeys.

— alexia fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Rare White Koala Joey Is Born at Australia Zoo — and You Can Help Name Her!," 23 Aug. 2017
Combining crystals, silver, and other natural design elements like shells and wood, the pendants and necklaces take on the shape of creatures like monkeys, koalas, fishes, and more.

— diana tsui, The Cut, "Prada’s New Jewelry Collection Was Inspired by Ancient Talismans," 27 June 2017
Then a truck came barreling down the road toward the koalas.

— don sweeney, sacbee.com, "Koala brawl disrupts Australia highway traffic," 26 June 2017
In one photo, a baby is dressed in a koala costume, sitting inside a prop made to look like a tree.

— kyle almond, CNN, "Baby love: Anne Geddes on her 30-year career," 11 May 2017
Those koalas found in the plantations chose trees that were closest to those forests.

— joan morris, The Mercury News, "Could a koala live in Bay Area’s eucalyptus trees?," 8 May 2017
For the most part, the study found little use of the plantations by the koalas.

— joan morris, The Mercury News, "Could a koala live in Bay Area’s eucalyptus trees?," 8 May 2017
In the movie, McConaughey plays a koala bear who runs a singing competition, while Witherspoon lends her voice to a singing pig named Rosita.

— Southern Living, "Why Reese Witherspoon Has a 'New Appreciation' for Taylor Swift," 1 May 2017

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

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Origin and Etymology of koala

Dharuk (Australian aboriginal language of the Port Jackson area) gula, gulawanʸ

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First Known Use: 1802

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KOALA Defined for English Language Learners

koala

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noun

Definition of koala for English Language Learners

: an Australian animal that has thick gray fur, large hairy ears, sharp claws for climbing, and no tail

KOALA Defined for Kids

koala

play

noun ko·ala \ kō-ˈä-lə \

Definition of koala for Students

:a tailless Australian animal with thick fur and big hairy ears, sharp claws for climbing, and a pouch like the kangaroo's for carrying its young

History for koala

The word koala was taken from a language called Dharuk, spoken by the native Australian people who lived around what is today Sydney, Australia, when the first Europeans landed there in 1788. The word was first written koolah, which was probably closer to the way it was pronounced in Dharuk. The spelling koala—which came to be read as three syllables rather than two—may originally have been someone's misspelling of the word.

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See words that rhyme with koala Spanish Central: Translation of koala Nglish: Translation of koala for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about koala

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