kiwi

American  

[kee-wee] / ˈki wi /

noun

• kiwis
  plural

1. any of several flightless, ratite birds of the genus Apteryx, of New Zealand, allied to the extinct moas.

2. Also called Chinese gooseberry.  the egg-sized, edible berry of the Chinese gooseberry, having fuzzy brownish skin and slightly tart green flesh.

3. Slang.

   1. a member of an air service, as in World War I, who is confined to ground duty.

   2. a former pilot or member of a flight crew.

4. Informal. a New Zealander.

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kiwi British  

/ ˈkiːwiː /

noun

1. any nocturnal flightless New Zealand bird of the genus Apteryx, having a long beak, stout legs, and weakly barbed feathers: order Apterygiformes See ratite

2. short for kiwi fruit

3. informal a New Zealander

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• kiwis
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kiwi kiwis

Key exports from India include basmati rice, sugar, fresh fruits and pharmaceuticals, while major imports include pistachios, apples, kiwi and dates.

From Barron's ● Jan. 13, 2026

The charity shared stories from people who have been helped by the law change, including Kitty Clark, 21, who is allergic to eggs, dairy products and kiwi fruit.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2025

Meanwhile, beyond the gates and gawking tourists, stoats will gobble kiwi eggs and possums will devour our rata leaves.

From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2025

Incidentally, the kiwi that Burgum suggested Colossal might bring back has a current population of about 68,000 individuals — a far cry from the original 12 million.

From Salon ● May 15, 2025

He was staring out into the garden, past the rows of herbs, toward a shed hidden behind a trellised kiwi tree.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram

Instead, add a handful of berries, kiwis, or other fruits rich in fiber and antioxidants.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 21, 2026

Brown kiwis have been reintroduced to a “newly stoat-free Wellington suburb,” where residents now awaken every morning to the screeches and songs of native parrots, pigeons and tuis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

"Be sure to get adequate protein and include foods rich in vitamin C like strawberries, kiwis, red bell peppers, and citrus fruits."

From Science Daily ● Jan. 29, 2026

“Let’s bring them back. You want kiwis? Bring them back.”

From Salon ● May 15, 2025

She threw a handful of kiwis and a few peaches into a paper bag and insisted I take them.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini