noun
kangaroo
kang-guh-R
noun
1
A large Australian marsupial with powerful hind legs built for hopping and a long, thick tail used for balance.
"A kangaroo can cover several metres in a single bound."
"Kangaroos are usually most active at dawn and dusk."
2
A hooded jacket with a large front pouch pocket, similar to a kangaroo’s pouch.
"He pulled on a kangaroo jacket before heading out into the cold."
adj
1
Describing a court, trial, or process that only pretends to be fair, with the outcome already decided in advance.
"Critics called the tribunal a kangaroo court with no real chance of acquittal."
How to Use Kangaroo
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe hopping Australian animal, or (in the phrase "kangaroo court") an unfair sham trial.
Common mistake
The famous story that "kangaroo" means "I don’t know" in an Aboriginal language is a myth — it’s the actual name of the animal.
Common pairings
kangaroo court
kangaroo jacket
a mob of kangaroos
Word Forms
kangarooed past tense, kangaroos plural, kangaroos singular
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A _____ can cover several metres in a single bound.
Etymology
Borrowed from Guugu Yimithirr (an Aboriginal Australian language) gangurru, the name for a particular grey kangaroo species — despite the popular myth, it does not mean "I don’t know."