noun
koala
koh-AH-luh
noun
1
A tree-dwelling Australian marsupial with a stout grey body, round furry ears, and a diet almost entirely of eucalyptus leaves.
"The koala spent most of the day asleep in the fork of a eucalyptus tree."
"Tourists lined up to have their photo taken holding a koala."
How to Use Koala
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe cuddly-looking Australian animal that lives in trees and eats eucalyptus.
Common mistake
Koalas are marsupials, not bears — "koala bear" is a common but technically incorrect nickname.
Common pairings
koala bear
baby koala
Word Forms
koalas plural, Koalas plural
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The _____ spent most of the day asleep in the fork of a eucalyptus tree.
Etymology
From an Aboriginal Australian word (Dharug "gula"), possibly meaning "no water" — koalas get nearly all their moisture from leaves.