# kang

/ˈkæŋ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/kang
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. kangaroo

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Dialect

a short, informal name for a kangaroo.

For teachers: a clipping of 'kangaroo', used in informal or dialectal contexts.

- We saw a big kang jumping across the field near the farm.
- The local guide pointed out a group of kangs grazing in the distance, though they quickly vanished into the scrub as we approached.

### 3. to copy code

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang · Technical

to take someone else's computer code or work and use it as your own without permission.

For teachers: to appropriate or 'steal' source code or software features from another developer, often without attribution.

- The developer was accused of kanging the interface design from a smaller app.
- In the custom ROM community, developers are often criticized for kanging features from other projects without providing the necessary upstream credits or documentation.

Usage: The verb is transitive and usually takes the software or feature as its object.

Teaching tip: This term is highly specific to Android development and software modding communities; it is not used in general business or academic contexts.

## Examples

- A kang hopped across the road.
- Tourists often feed the kang at the local park near the river.
- The term kang is a classic example of Australian apocope, where longer words are truncated for casual speech.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.