kangaroo (English)

Where does "kangaroo" come from?

The word 'kangaroo' is derived from 'gangurru,' a term used by the Guugu Yimidhirr people to describe the large, eastern grey kangaroo. Despite the popular myth that the name arose from a misunderstanding meaning 'I don't know,' historical evidence confirms it was simply directly borrowed from the Indigenous Australian language to identify the unique marsupial.

Full etymology tree

• kangaroo (English), 'Of or relating to Australia.'
  • borrowed gangurru (Guugu Yimidhirr), 'large grey or black kangaroo'

Direct ancestors

• gangurru (Guugu Yimidhirr)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris