Etymology

emu

E1M3U1

Today it means: A large flightless bird native to Australia, Dromaius novaehollandiae. Full definition →

First used 18th c.Portuguese ema
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emu · noun1

  1. Portuguese · derived fromema“(originally) cassowary; rhea bird”
  2. English todayemu

Probably from Portuguese ema (“(originally) cassowary; rhea bird”).

emu · noun2

From e(lectro)m(agnetic) u(nit).

emu · noun3

From emu(lator).

Emu · proper noun4

From emu (“ratite”). Calque of Australian aboriginal languages name of the sky pattern, named after the giant bird of Australia, for which it appears akin to.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 18th c. A large flightless bird native to Australia, Dromaius novaehollandiae.
  • from early 17th c. A cassowary (genus Casuarius).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.