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Definition of koala

koala

/koʊˈɑː.lə/
ko · a · la
Plural:koalas
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koala Lexical Profile

koala Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A stout, tailless arboreal marsupial (Phascolarctos cinereus) native to eastern and southern Australia, characterized by its large head, round fluffy ears, distinct spoon-shaped nose, and a highly specialized diet consisting primarily of eucalyptus leaves.

Example

"During our hike through the Australian bushland, we spotted a wild koala sleeping peacefully in the fork of a eucalyptus tree."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for koala

Word Nuance & Usage

Although widely referred to colloquially as a 'koala bear', the animal is a marsupial and is entirely unrelated to bears.

• Rhymes for koala

• Nearby Words

knurled
ko
koa
koala
kobe
kobuk
koel

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed into English in the late 18th century from Dharug (an Indigenous Australian language of the Sydney region) 'gula' or 'kula'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Koala. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/koala
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