joey en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- jōˈ.ē
- (US) audio
- /ˈd͡ʒoʊ.i/
Etymology
Unknown. Older and more general sources state that joey comes from an Australian Aboriginal language (cited as joè), but newer sources that 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.
Meanings
-
The immature young of a marsupial, notably a junior kangaroo, but also a young wallaby, koala, etc.
As soon as a joey is born, it crawls into its mother's pouch. The joey grows in the pouch.
2006, Bobbie Kalman, Robin R. Johnson, Koalas and Other Marsupials, Crabtree Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 9:
- (Australia, slang) A young child.
-
(abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of joey word.
alt of joey word
Among the kangaroo words that yield the most joviality and joy are those that conceal multiple joeys.
1998, Richard Lederer, Dave Morice, The Word Circus, page 129:Sometimes a kangaroo word has more than one joey.
2005, Anu Garg, Another Word a Day, page 132:
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(Ireland, UK, slang) A parcel smuggled in to an inmate.
"Visit in two days though," said Tommo. "Hang in there mate, got a joey coming, we'll be sweet then."
2012, John Hoskison, Inside: One Man's Experience of Prison:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| joeys | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
joey word · wood and water joey
Translations (52)
mwp kaziwœsar (wallaby joey) · pjt kanyaḻa kuḻunypa (kangaroo joey) · mn сэмж (kangaroo joey) · uk кенгуря́ (kangaroo joey) · nnr wagaggu (wallaby joey) · uk кенгуреня́ (kangaroo joey) · aly aherr akwerrk (kangaroo joey) · vma mirtily (kangaroo joey) · sv vallabyunge (wallaby joey) · sv känguruunge (kangaroo joey) · ms anak kanggaru (kangaroo joey) · vo kangurül (kangaroo joey) · nnr guddaga (kangaroo joey) · aer atwetye (kangaroo joey) · adt urdlu vapa (kangaroo joey) · vo hikangurül (kangaroo joey) · pjt wanangaṯa (kangaroo joey) · eo koalido (koala joey) · nl koalajong (koala joey) · aly antartwey (kangaroo joey) · de junges Känguruh (kangaroo joey) · ms anak walabi (wallaby joey) · pjt maḻu (kangaroo joey) · vka kurlukurlu (kangaroo joey) · nl wallabyjong (wallaby joey) · ru джо́уи (koala joey) · nl kangoeroejong (kangaroo joey) · wbp kalypa (kangaroo joey) · sv koalaunge (koala joey) · mwp kaziwœsar (kangaroo joey) · ga cangarú óg (kangaroo joey) · are twetye (kangaroo joey) · tr kanguru yavrusu (kangaroo joey) · fi kengurunpoikanen (kangaroo joey) · ru джо́уи (wallaby joey) · eo valabiido (wallaby joey) · ru детёныш ва́ллаби (wallaby joey) · pjt kanyaḻa kuḻuny (kangaroo joey) · ru джо́уи (kangaroo joey) · uk кенгуреня́ вала́бі (wallaby joey) · wbp tiripardu (kangaroo joey) · ru коалёнок (koala joey) · vo jikangurül (kangaroo joey) · ms anak koala (koala joey) · nay yali (kangaroo joey) · uk коаленя́ (koala joey) · aly ntartey (kangaroo joey) · eo kanguruido (kangaroo joey) · ru кенгурёнок (kangaroo joey) · wmb ganarrgulyi (kangaroo joey) · zh 小袋鼠 (kangaroo joey) · zku idla (kangaroo joey)