wallaby

IPA/ˈwɒləbi/
KK[wˈɑləbˌi]IPA/ˈwɑːləbi/

wallaby — noun

  • wallabysingular
  • wallabiesplural

1. a medium-sized marsupial native to Australia and the surrounding islands, with s

1.nounB1
Definition

a medium-sized marsupial native to Australia and the surrounding islands, with strong back legs for jumping and a pouch where it carries its baby

Example

Devika watched a wallaby hop across the dusty track near her uncle's farm.

wallaby + hop / location preposition 'across'

The guide pointed at a wallaby resting under a eucalyptus tree in the afternoon sun.

wallaby + present participle 'resting' describing position

Common collocations
  • mother wallaby
  • baby wallaby
  • wallaby species
  • wallaby population
  • spotted a wallaby
Synonyms
  • kangaroo

    larger relative — wallabies belong to the same family (macropods) but are significantly smaller

  • pademelon

    an even smaller, stockier relative found in similar habitats

Usage Note

Often confused with kangaroos — wallabies are noticeably smaller and have shorter legs relative to their body size.

Common Mistakes

A wallaby is the same size as a kangaroo.
A wallaby is smaller than a kangaroo.
wallabies are the smaller relatives of kangaroos, not another name for the same animal.

2. the popular nickname for Australia's men's national rugby union team, who play i

2.nounB2
Definition

the popular nickname for Australia's men's national rugby union team, who play in gold-coloured jerseys

Example

João watched the Wallabies play against New Zealand in the championship final last October.

the Wallabies + play against [opponent]

The Wallabies scored a try in the final minute and won the match.

Common collocations
  • the Wallabies played
  • the Wallabies scored
  • Wallabies jersey
  • Wallabies tour
  • Wallabies vs
Synonyms

Usage Note

Always treated as a plural noun — 'the Wallabies are…' not 'the Wallabies is…'. A single member of the team is called a Wallaby.

Common Mistakes

The Wallabies is a strong team this year.
The Wallabies are a strong team this year.
the team name always takes a plural verb.
He is a Wallabies player.
He is a Wallaby player.
a single player is a 'Wallaby', not a 'Wallabies'.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A wallaby is a small to medium-sized member of the macropod family, native to Australia and New Guinea. The word is most often contrasted with kangaroo, which refers to the larger species — red kangaroos can stand over 1.8 metres tall, while most wallabies grow only to about 60–90 centimetres. Pademelons are even smaller and stockier than wallabies, with shorter tails, and are found in dense forest areas. Marsupial is a much broader term: it covers any mammal that carries its young in a pouch, including koalas, wombats, and possums. If you see a large animal hopping across an open plain, call it a kangaroo; if it looks like a smaller version near a forest edge, wallaby is the right word; and if it is tiny, round-bodied, and scurrying through thick undergrowth, it is probably a pademelon.

wallaby ↗kangaroo ↗pademelonmarsupial ↗

Etymology

DharugEnglish

The word comes from the Dharug language spoken by Aboriginal people around Sydney, Australia. Early British settlers borrowed the term 'waliba' or 'walabi' in the late 1700s to describe the small kangaroo-like animals they encountered on the continent.

First known use

1798

1798, in the meaning defined above