koala
Pronunciation: /kəʊˈɑːlə/
noun
- a bear-like arboreal Australian marsupial that has thick grey fur and feeds on eucalyptus leaves. Also called native bear in Australia.
- Phascolarctos cinereus, the only member of the family Phascolarctidae
Origin:
early 19th century: from Dharuk
In non-technical contexts koala bear (as opposed to koala) is widely used. Zoologists, however, regard this form as incorrect on the grounds that, despite appearances, koalas are completely unrelated to bears.