Meanings
plural currawongs
- Any of the three species, and several subspecies, of large, mainly black, predatory passerine birds in the genus Strepera, endemic to Australia.
Currawongs and cookaburras woke him early.
1983, Robert Drewe, The Bodysurfers, Penguin, published 2009, page 681 more example
She has small unblinking eyes like a currawong, turning its head on one side and staring malevolently […].
1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber, published 2003, page 174Synonyms: bell-magpie, crow-shrike
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny of the three species, and several subspecies, of large, mainly black, predatory passerine birds in the genus Strepera, endemic to Australia.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Probably from Yagara garrawaŋ, ultimately onomatopoeic.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
currawong. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/currawong
“currawong.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/currawong. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “currawong,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/currawong.
Source: currawong on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.