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Glite Dictionary
giant kangaroo

giant kangaroo

3.4
A very large Australian kangaroo that once lived in open woods
  • noun
  • Australian
translation icon : canguro gigante
  • The giant kangaroo once roamed vast areas of Australia in great numbers.

Examples

  • Unlike smaller species, the giant kangaroo could reach heights over two meters.

  • Researchers studied fossil remains of the extinct giant kangaroo to learn about Australia's prehistory.

  • The giant kangaroo is a remarkable sight in the Australian outback.

  • I saw a giant kangaroo hopping across the field.

  • Researchers studied fossil remains of the extinct giant kangaroo to learn about Australia's prehistory.

  • The giant kangaroo once roamed vast areas of Australia in great numbers.

  • Unlike smaller species, the giant kangaroo could reach heights over two meters.

Synonyms

great grey kangaroo
vsgiant kangaroo
  • Australian
7.8

A very large Australian animal that hops, has grey-brown fur, and is now rare in open woods

refers to a very large greyish-brown species once numerous in open wooded regions
Macropus giganteus
vsgiant kangaroo
  • Specialized
9.6

A large grey-brown kangaroo from eastern Australia

is the informal common name used instead of the formal scientific term

Surface Forms

giant kangaroo singular
giant kangaroos plural

Morphology

giant + kangaroo

The meaning 'a very large kangaroo' is directly and compositionally derived from 'giant' (very large) + 'kangaroo' (the marsupial). This adjective+noun pattern is literal and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Giant kangaroo is a literal name: giant (very large) and kangaroo (the animal) create the image of a huge kangaroo that once lived in Australia. Because we know it mostly from bones and fossils, the name refers to a now 'extinct' very large species.