noun
joey
JOH-ee
noun
1
A baby kangaroo or similar marsupial.
"The joey peeked out of its mother's pouch."
2
A clown, especially in British circus tradition.
"The joey tumbled across the ring to make the children laugh."
How to Use Joey
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost familiar as the word for a baby kangaroo; also an old term for a circus clown.
Common pairings
a joey in its mother's pouch
Word Forms
joeys plural, joeys plural, joeys plural, joeys plural
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The _____ peeked out of its mother's pouch.
Etymology
The clown sense is named after Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837), the celebrated English clown; the kangaroo sense likely comes from an Australian Aboriginal word.