noun
Uncommon
kiwi
KEE-wee
Kiwi (noun) means a flightless New Zealand bird with a long beak and hair-like feathers. Example: “The kiwi is nocturnal and rarely seen in the wild.”
noun
1
A flightless New Zealand bird with a long beak and hair-like feathers.
"The kiwi is nocturnal and rarely seen in the wild."
2
Informal term for a person from New Zealand.
"A group of Kiwis backpacked across South America together."
3
Short for kiwifruit, a fuzzy-skinned green fruit.
"She sliced a kiwi into the fruit salad."
How to use kiwi
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe flightless bird native to New Zealand, an informal word for a New Zealander, or the fruit.
Easily confused with
kiwifruit
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- kiwis
- Past tense
- kiwied
- Comparative
- more Kiwi
- Superlative
- most Kiwi
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ is nocturnal and rarely seen in the wild.
Etymology
From the Māori name for the bird, imitating its call. "Kiwi" later became a nickname for New Zealanders themselves, and separately lent its name to the green fruit because of a supposed resemblance to the bird's fuzzy body.
Synonyms
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apteryx
kiwi vine
kiwi fruit
Frequently asked questions
What does “kiwi” mean?
The word “kiwi” means a flightless New Zealand bird with a long beak and hair-like feathers. In plain terms, the flightless bird native to New Zealand, an informal word for a New Zealander, or the fruit.
How do you pronounce “kiwi”?
“Kiwi” is pronounced KEE-wee (/ˈkiːwi/ in IPA).
How do you use “kiwi” in a sentence?
Here is “kiwi” used in a sentence: “The kiwi is nocturnal and rarely seen in the wild.”
What part of speech is “kiwi”?
“Kiwi” is a noun.
Is “kiwi” a common word?
“Kiwi” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “kiwi” have?
“Kiwi” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a flightless New Zealand bird with a long beak and hair-like feathers.
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