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

A flightless New Zealand bird with a long beak and hair-like feathers.

"The kiwi is nocturnal and rarely seen in the wild."

Informal term for a person from New Zealand.

"A group of Kiwis backpacked across South America together."

Short for kiwifruit, a fuzzy-skinned green fruit.

"She sliced a kiwi into the fruit salad."

How to use kiwi

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe flightless bird native to New Zealand, an informal word for a New Zealander, or the fruit.

Easily confused with

kiwifruit

Word forms

more Kiwi comparative, kiwied past tense, Kiwis plural, kiwis singular, most Kiwi superlative

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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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Vocabulary lists that include kiwi:

Words that end with I Words that start with K