kiwi
Americannoun
plural
kiwis-
any of several flightless, ratite birds of the genus Apteryx, of New Zealand, allied to the extinct moas.
-
Also called Chinese gooseberry. the egg-sized, edible berry of the Chinese gooseberry, having fuzzy brownish skin and slightly tart green flesh.
-
Slang.
-
a member of an air service, as in World War I, who is confined to ground duty.
-
a former pilot or member of a flight crew.
-
-
Informal. a New Zealander.
noun
-
any nocturnal flightless New Zealand bird of the genus Apteryx, having a long beak, stout legs, and weakly barbed feathers: order Apterygiformes See ratite
-
short for kiwi fruit
-
informal a New Zealander
Etymology
Origin of kiwi
Borrowed into English from Maori around 1825–35
Explanation
A kiwi is a sweet fruit that's originally from China but today is most often grown in New Zealand. See that little green fruit with tiny edible seeds in your fruit salad? It's kiwi! New Zealanders use the word kiwi for a chicken-sized, flightless bird, or sometimes as a nickname for a person from New Zealand. The small, fuzzy-skinned fruit that North Americans call kiwi is known as either kiwifruit or Chinese gooseberry in New Zealand. The word kiwi first referred to the bird, and it comes from Maori.
Vocabulary lists containing kiwi
Amazing Animals, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Australia and New Zealand - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Australia and New Zealand - Middle School and High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mitchell struck an unbeaten 18-ball 39 and hit two fours and three sixes to boost the Kiwi total.
From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026
Participants were asked to eat two Kiwi Gold kiwifruit daily for eight weeks.
From Science Daily • Dec. 26, 2025
For that, McCullum is relying on another Kiwi, Gilbert Enoka, who spent 21 years as the mental skills coach for the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
All of those ended in with Kiwi wins, and the All Blacks and white shirts at opposite ends of the emotional spectrum.
From BBC • Nov. 15, 2025
Walter became a distinguished Kiwi, eventually attaining the office of Minister of Native Affairs.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
