# koala

/koʊˈɑɫə/ (US) · /kəʊˈɑːlɐ/ (UK) · CEFR A2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/koala
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

a gray, furry animal from Australia that looks like a small bear. It lives in trees and eats the leaves of eucalyptus plants.

For teachers: an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, characterized by a thick gray coat, large ears, and a diet consisting almost exclusively of eucalyptus leaves.

## Examples

- The koala is sleeping high up in the tree.
- During our trip to Australia, we visited a sanctuary where we could see a koala eating eucalyptus leaves.
- While often mistakenly called a bear, the koala is actually a marsupial that carries its underdeveloped young in a pouch, similar to a kangaroo or a wombat.

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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.