native bear
- noun
- Australian
:
koala
- The native bear is a unique marsupial found only in Australia, famous for its love of eucalyptus leaves.
Examples
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The native bear spends most of its time sleeping in eucalyptus trees.
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The native bear is threatened by habitat loss and disease.
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Tourists often hope to see a native bear during their visit to Australia.
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Look at that native bear climbing the tree!
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The native bear is often seen resting in eucalyptus trees.
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Many people visit Australia hoping to catch a glimpse of the native bear in its natural habitat.
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In zoos, the native bear is admired for its fluffy ears and gentle disposition.
Synonyms
40
1.0
A slow animal from Australia that lives in trees and eats eucalyptus leaves
2
1.0
A slow tree animal from Australia with grey fur that eats eucalyptus leaves and carries its babies in a pouch
A tree-dwelling Australian animal that eats eucalyptus leaves
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'native' + 'bear' yield a plausible compositional meaning (an indigenous bear), so learners will infer it refers to an animal species — however the established referent is the koala, a marsupial that is not a true bear. That specific, culture-bound identification and the taxonomic mismatch are not predictable from the parts alone and require prior exposure, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The compound noun native bear comes from early European settlers who saw a small, furry Australian animal and called it a bear that was native to the land. That's why native bear is used to mean the animal we now call the 'koala'.