Etymology

kangaroo

kan·ga·roo
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Today it means: A member of the Macropodidae family of large marsupials with strong hind legs for hopping, native to Australia and New Guinea. Full definition →

First used 18th c.Guugu Yimidhirr gangurru
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The story

  1. Guugu Yimidhirr · borrowed fromgangurru“eastern grey kangaroo”
  2. English todaykangaroo

Borrowed from Guugu Yimidhirr gangurru (“eastern grey kangaroo”). Despite a popular misconception, the Guugu Yimidhirr term does not mean "I don't know".

First known use, by meaning

  • from 18th c. A member of the Macropodidae family of large marsupials with strong hind legs for hopping, native to Australia and New Guinea.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.