Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An imaginary monster inhabiting swamps and lagoons.
  • noun An imposter; a fake.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A fabulous animal supposed to inhabit water-holes and rivers.
  • noun An impostor.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Australia A mythical Australian monster, said to inhabit swamps and lagoons.
  • noun Australia, slang, obsolete An imposter or con-man.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Wathawurrung (Pama-Nyungan language of southeast Australia) ban-yib.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Wathawurung ban-yib.

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Examples

  • For Jimmy was no coward so long as he was not called upon to encounter the familiar demons of his people, the word bunyip being perhaps too often in his mouth.

    Bunyip Land A Story of Adventure in New Guinea George Manville Fenn 1870

  • The bunyip is a water-filled hose with marked rulers on either end.

    Boulder Daily Camera Most Viewed 2010

  • Minyip (n) - A female bunyip, difficult to distinguish from her male counterpart, the Mickyip.

    THE SCATTERHEART SMALLTOWN COMPETITION lili 2007

  • Minyip (n): A species of bunyip indigenous to northwest Victoria and northeastern South Australia, characterised by small relative size and a piercing, high-pitched mating call.

    THE SCATTERHEART SMALLTOWN COMPETITION lili 2007

  • Havock can you please shoot something and throw it to the bunyip?

    Cheeseburger Gothic » In Melb, evening of 27 Aug. 2009

  • The legends of the British isles are still present along with some inclusion of Australian folklore with the character of the bunyip.

    Archive 2008-08-01 Kristen 2008

  • But Ned merely acted out the worst fears of a bunyip aristocracy – laughed in their apoplectic faces, stole their horses and a few head of steers

    Archive 2008-04-01 Ivan Donn Carswell 2008

  • But Ned merely acted out the worst fears of a bunyip aristocracy – laughed in their apoplectic faces, stole their horses and a few head of steers

    Ned Has Already Paid Ivan Donn Carswell 2008

  • The scent of eucalyptus trees is strong, Australian animals wander about, the displaced Aboriginal spirit makes an appearance hopefully to play a larger role in the next novel and the bunyip plays his part in defending his home from otherworldly invaders.

    Archive 2008-05-01 2008

  • The legends of the British isles are still present along with some inclusion of Australian folklore with the character of the bunyip.

    Reviews of fantasy and science fiction books Kristen 2008

Comments

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  • See špas.

    February 26, 2009

  • NOUN:

    Australian

    An imaginary monster inhabiting swamps and lagoons.

    An imposter; a fake.

    ETYMOLOGY:

    Wemba-wemba (Aboriginal language of southeast Australia) banib

    August 21, 2009

  • See the last thumbnail image here.

    October 8, 2009