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Definition of kookaburra

kookaburra

/ˈkʊk.əˌbɜːr.ə/
kook · a · bur · ra
Plural:kookaburras
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kookaburra Lexical Profile

kookaburra Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A large, terrestrial kingfisher native to Australia and New Guinea, famous for its loud, echoing call that closely resembles raucous human laughter.

Example

"The campers were woken just before dawn by the loud, cackling call of a kookaburra perched high in the gum tree."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for kookaburra

• Nearby Words

kombucha
komodo dragon
konjac
kookaburra
kootenai
kootenay
kootenays

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed into English in the late 19th century from the Wiradjuri word 'guuguubarra', which is an onomatopoeic imitation of the bird's distinctive, echoing call.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Kookaburra. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/kookaburra
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