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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
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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.
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Then a truck came barreling down the road toward the koalas.
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In one photo, a baby is dressed in a koala costume, sitting inside a prop made to look like a tree.
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In the movie, McConaughey plays a koala bear who runs a singing competition, while Witherspoon lends her voice to a singing pig named Rosita.
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The breakthough of the song erupts once the koala bear finds true happiness and radiates that feeling that centers around its own emotions.
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Last spring, the affection of the public and the forbearance of officials were tested when P-22 got past a nine-foot-high fence at the L.A. Zoo and ate the face off an endangered Australian koala named Killarney.
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There were wombats the size of Volkswagons, koala cousins that resembled the mythical Drop Bear and enormous, venomous lizards larger than today’s Komodo dragons.
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Though perhaps not as beloved as koalas or kangaroos, little penguins are some of Australia’s most charismatic creatures.
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.
Illustration of koala
Origin and Etymology of koala
Dharuk (Australian aboriginal language of the Port Jackson area) gula, gulawanʸ
KOALA Defined for English Language Learners
koala
playDefinition of koala for English Language Learners
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: an Australian animal that has thick gray fur, large hairy ears, sharp claws for climbing, and no tail
KOALA Defined for Kids
koala
playDefinition 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.
Learn More about koala
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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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