kiwi

plural kiwis

1. countableuncountableA flightless bird of the order Apterygiformes native to New Zealand.

   Synonyms: apteryx, kiwikiwi

2. countableuncountableAlternative letter-case form of Kiwi (“a person from New Zealand”).
3. countableinformaluncountableA New Zealand dollar.
4. countableuncountableA kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa).
5. uncountableA green-yellow colour, like that of kiwifruit flesh (also called kiwi green).
6. countableslanguncountablegovernmentA member of the air force who does not fly.

   And as its role grew in importance, ground commanders, or kiwis as they were called, made many mistakes in judgment […]

   1953, Air Force: Official Service Journal of the U.S. Army Air Forces

7. countableplural normallyslanguncountableA testicle.

   1 more example

   Now Rex he was a Texan out of New Orleans and he travelled with the carnival shows He ran bumper cars, sucked cheap cigars and he candied up his nose He got wind of the big brown beaver so he thought he'd take himself a peek But the beaver was quick and he grabbed him by the kiwis And he ain't pissed for a week (and a half)

   1995, “Wynona's Big Brown Beaver”, performed by Primus

comparative more kiwi · superlative most kiwi

1. informalAlternative letter-case form of Kiwi (“of or from New Zealand”)

1. SingaporeslanguncountablegovernmentAny kind of black shoe polish.

present singular third person kiwis · participle present kiwiing · participle present kiwi-ing · participle past kiwied · past kiwied

1. SingaporeslanggovernmentTo polish (boots) with black shoe polish.

   Johari Salleh: Ya, ya. Better not waste time. Must prepare, tomorrow morning got inspection. Teo Ah Beng: Ya lah, must kiwi the boots. Can borrow [lend] me your cloth? Krishnamoorthy: Ya, no problem. You better kiwi quickly. 11 pm lights off. […]

   1987, Michael Chiang, Army Daze, Landmark Books, →ISBN

plural Kiwis

1. informalA native or inhabitant of New Zealand; a New Zealander.

   A blokart (say blow-cart) plays to the penchant that Kiwis and Aussies have for pushing the limits in search of fun. It’s a ground-hugging, tricyclelike combination of aluminum tubing and rubber wheels with a steering wheel and a sail.

   2014 June 17, Tribune Newspapers, “Cruising Down Under”, in Chicago Tribune

   1 more example

   Sadowski-Synnott scored 92.88 on her final run, landing back-to-back 1080s on a challenging course resembling the Great Wall of China. Asked how she felt about making history as the island nation's first Winter Games gold medallist, she said it made her a "proud Kiwi".

   2022 February 6, Mari Saito, Winni Zhou, “Snowboarding-Proud Kiwi Sadowski-Synnott bags New Zealand's first Winter Games gold”, in Jacqueline Wong, Clare Fallon, editors, Reuters, archived from the original on 30 May 2022

comparative more Kiwi · superlative most Kiwi

1. informalOf, from or relating to New Zealand.

   The two Kiwi brothers who spent time in a Thailand prison after allegedly wrestling an officer to the ground and taking his gun, have returned to New Zealand.

   2024 July 13, Poppy Clark, “Kiwi brothers back in country after spending time in Thailand prison”, in stuff.co.nz/

1. A rural locality in Tasman district, New Zealand.

   At Kiwi, 40 miles from Nelson, eight women installed themselves in the goods shed, taking with them their knitting, and a supply of food and magazines. The demolition crew was unable to pull the building down without injuring them.

   1955 December, “Notes and News: Women Delay Railway Demolition”, in Railway Magazine, page 878