emu
UK /ˈiːmjuː/ · US /ˈim(j)u/ noun, proper noun
Forms emus emeu
- noun A large flightless bird native to Australia, Dromaius novaehollandiae.
- noun (obsolete) A cassowary (genus Casuarius).
- proper noun A constellation or asterism from Australian aborigine cultures, a dark constellation pattern formed by an arrangement of dark nebulae in the sky, blotting out background stars, appearing akin to the emu (giant bird of Australia).
- proper noun A locality in the Shire of Loddon, Shire of Central Goldfields and the Shire of Northern Grampians, north western Victoria, Australia
Synonyms
electromagnetic unit Dromaius novaehollandiae Emu novaehollandiae
Etymology
Probably from Portuguese ema (“(originally) cassowary; giant rhea; (now) ostrich”).
From e(lectro)m(agnetic) u(nit).
From emu(lator).
From emu (“ratite”). Calque of Australian aboriginal languages name of the sky pattern, named after the giant bird of Australia, for which it appears akin to.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A large Australian bird, of two species (Dromaius Novæ- Hollandiæ and D. irroratus), related to the cassowary and the ostrich. The emu runs swiftly, but is unable to fly. [Written also emeu and emew.]
Etymology [Cf. Pg. ema ostrich, F. émou, émeu, emu.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “emu”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details