wallaby — a small to medium-sized marsupial native to Australia and New Guinea, similar to a kangaroo but smaller
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a small to medium-sized marsupial native to Australia and New Guinea, similar to a kangaroo but smaller
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈwɑːləbi/
Example Sentences
- My pet wallaby thinks it's a dog and tries to fetch tennis balls.
- The wallaby gracefully hopped across the Australian grassland.
- Tourist: 'Is that a baby kangaroo?' Guide: 'No, that's a fully grown wallaby having an identity crisis.'
wallaby
NOUN[/ˈwɑːləbi/]
a small to medium-sized marsupial native to Australia and New Guinea, similar to a kangaroo but smaller
Small kangaroo-like marsupial
My photography hobby captured a wallaby - probably the perfect shot!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Wallaby derives from Australian Aboriginal languages, entering English in the 18th century through early European explorers who heard the word 'walaba' from Indigenous peoples. The term was adopted to distinguish this smaller marsupial from the larger kangaroo, with the pronunciation shifting to 'wallaby' in English.
Breakdown
walaba (Aboriginal origin) → wallaby (English adaptation). The morphological shift reflects phonetic anglicization of the original Aboriginal term, with the addition of the -y suffix typical of English animal names.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My pet wallaby thinks it's a dog and tries to fetch tennis balls.”
“The wallaby gracefully hopped across the Australian grassland.”
“Tourist: 'Is that a baby kangaroo?' Guide: 'No, that's a fully grown wallaby having an identity crisis.'”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Related
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