Wallaru
/ˈwɒl.ə.ruː/noun
A large Australian macropod, especially the common wallaroo, intermediate in size between a wallaby and a kangaroo.
Did you know?Wallaru is an alternative English form of wallaroo, whose name was borrowed from an Aboriginal Australian language rather than built from European roots.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial Australia
Aboriginal Australian language
walaru
“A term for a large kangaroo-like macropod; the precise source language is often identified as Dharuk or a nearby Sydney-region language.”
Late 18th Century
English
wallaroo
“An Australian Aboriginal borrowing used for a large kangaroo-like animal.”
19th Century
Australian English
wallaroo
“The common English name for several large macropods, especially the common wallaroo.”
19th–20th Century
English
wallaru
“An alternative spelling or form of wallaroo.”
Modern English
English
wallaru
“A variant name for a wallaroo, a large Australian macropod.”