joey

See also Joey

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: jō'ē

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊi

Etymology

Unknown.

Older and more general sources state that joey comes from an Australian aboriginal language, but newer sources which focus on Australian English and aboriginal languages say the origin is unknown. The Australian National Dictionary includes a sense of “young possum” with citations predating the earliest “young kangaroo” citations.

Noun

joey (plural joeys)

1. The immature young of a marsupial, notably a junior kangaroo, but also a young wallaby or koala etc.

Translations

kangaroo joey

Alyawarr: antartwey, ntartey, aherr akwerrk Chinese: 小袋鼠 (xiǎo dàishǔ) Dutch: kangoeroejong (nl) n. Eastern Arrernte: atwetye Finnish: kengurunpoikanen (fi) Irish: cangarú óg (ga) m. Kala Lagaw Ya: kaziwœsar Kariyarra: kurlukurlu

Martuthunira: mirtily Pitjantjatjara: wanangaṯa, maḻu, kanyaḻa kuḻuny, kanyaḻa kuḻunypa Russian: кенгурёнок (ru) (kengurjónok) m., джоуи (ru) (džóui) m. Volapük: (male or female) kangurül (vo), (male) hikangurül (vo), (female) jikangurül (vo) Warlpiri: tiripardu, kalypa Western Arrernte: twetye

koala joey

Dutch: koalajong (nl) n.

Russian: коалёнок (ru) (koaljónok) m., джоуи (ru) (džóui) m.

wallaby joey

Dutch: wallabyjong (nl) n. Kala Lagaw Ya: kaziwœsar

Russian: детёныш валлаби (ru) (detjónyš vállabi) m., джоуи (ru) (džóui) m.

References

• “joey” in the Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper, 2001