roo
n. countablen. a short, casual name for a kangaroo. People in Australia often use this word when they are talking about the animal in a friendly way.
n. a colloquial abbreviation for a kangaroo. Primarily used in Australian English; informal in register.
We saw a wild roo hopping across the field.
While driving through the outback at dusk, you have to be careful not to hit a roo on the road.
The local wildlife sanctuary specializes in the rehabilitation of orphaned roos, providing them with a safe environment until they are mature enough for release into the bush.
From Middle English roo, ro, from Old English rō, rōw (“quietness, quiet, rest”), from Proto-Germanic rōō (“quiet, rest”), from Proto-Indo-European h₁reh₁- (“to rest; quiet”). Cognate with Scots ro, ruve (“peace, repose”), German Ruhe (“rest, peace, tranquility”), Danish, Norwegian and Swedish ro (“rest, peace, tranquility”), Icelandic ró (“tranquility, quietness”).
Apheretic form of kangaroo.
Informal abbreviation — common in spoken Australian English but rarely used in formal scientific writing.