Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A large, flightless Australian bird (Dromiceius novaehollandiae) related to and resembling the ostrich and the cassowary.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A large Australian three-toed ratite bird of the genus Dromæus (which see), of which there are several species, as D. novæ-hollandiæ, D. ater, and D. irroratus.
- n. These birds resemble cassowaries, but belong to a different genus and subfamily, and are easily distinguished by having no casque or helmet on the head, which, with the neck, is more completely feathered. The plumage is sooty-brown or blackish, and very copious, like long curly hair, there being two plumes to the quills, so that each feather seems double. The wings are rudimentary, useless for flight, and concealed in the plumage. The emus are intermediate in size between the cassowaries and the ostriches. The species first named above is the one most commonly seen in confinement.
- n. A genus of cassowaries.
- n. The specific name of the galeated cassowary of Ceram, in the form emeu.
- n. The specific name of the east Australian Dromæus novæ-hollandiæ, in the form emu. Stephens.
- n. An Australian wood used for turners' work.
- n. A name erroneously applied to the rhea, or South American ostrich.
Wiktionary
- n. A large flightless bird native to Australia.
- abbr. electromagnetic unit.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. 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.
WordNet 3.0
- n. any of various systems of units for measuring electricity and magnetism
- n. large Australian flightless bird similar to the ostrich but smaller
Etymologies
- Portuguese ema, rhea.
Examples
“The emu is often found in bush (e.g. mallee) or woodland.”
“Nevertheless, they saw, though unable to get near them, a couple of those large birds peculiar to Australia, a sort of cassowary, called emu, five feet in height, and with brown plumage, which belong to the tribe of waders.”
“Goldsmith, whose account of the emu is the only one I can refer to, says, “that it is covered from the back and rump with long feathers, which fall backward, and cover the anus; these feathers are grey on the back, and white on the belly.””
“Other animals: African pygmy goats, miniature zebra, several types of antelope, an emu, a kangaroo and more.”
“The bird, later identified as an emu named Victoria, was friendly and was accustomed to human contact.”
“Goldsmith, whose account of the emu is the only one I can refer to, says, "that it is covered from the back and rump with long feathers, which fall backward, and cover the anus; these feathers are grey on the back, and white on the belly.”
“The emu is a large flightless bird similar to the ostrich; it breeds in the Australian interior but ranges widely in search of food and water.”
“The ostrich is from Africa and is about 25 percent taller than an emu, which is from Australia.”
“Are animals such as emu, crocodile and kangaroo sustainable to eat?”
“All outlets have unique features, from our Grand Sunday brunch in Café d'Or to our Australian delicacies in the Astral such as emu, crocodile and kangaroo.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘emu’.
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henryar's list
marmoleum, menagerie, cyan, ochre, pilfer, discombobulate, loquacious, iridescent, amethyst, derelict, botulism, equilibrium and 240 more...
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3 Letter Words
A list of English words that are three letters long.
ace, act, ade, ado, add, ads, age, ago, ail, air, aim, all and 397 more...
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animals (2 syllable)
A list of common animal names. Keep the list to 2 syllable words.No scientific names. No proper names like 'Fluffy' the elephant.Insects and other creatures (even ficticious like 'dragon') are we...
baboon, rabbit, raptor, dragon, camel, hornet, llama, cobra, cheetah, penguin, puppy, dolphin and 85 more...
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Meats: For All the Carnivores out There
Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!
Just kidding. Kind of.yak, wood pigeon, wild turkey, wild boar, venison, veal, turtle, turkey, squirrel, squab, snail, rattlesnake and 51 more...
pterodactyl Great, thanks! I had been stricken with indecision about which pronunciation to use (they're both equally prevalent in American English), but this decides the issue. From now on, I shall emulate the elocutions of the emu experts. Apr 10, 2012
bilby The latter. Apr 10, 2012
pterodactyl How is this pronounced in Australian English? "ee-moo" or "ee-myoo"? Apr 10, 2012