wonga-wonga

[ wong-uh-wong-uh ]

noun

1. a woody Australian vine, Pandorea pandorana, of the bignonia family, having showy clusters of yellowish-white flowers streaked with purple.

wonga-wonga

/ ˈwɒŋəˈwɒŋə /

noun

1. Also calledwonga pigeon a large Australian pigeon, Leucosarcia melanoleuca
2. an Australian evergreen vine of the genus Pandorea or Tecoma, esp T. australis

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonga-wonga¹

1890–95; by ellipsis from wonga-wonga vine, perhaps to be identified with wonga-wonga a kind of pigeon < Dharuk wa-ŋa-wa-ŋa

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonga-wonga¹

from a native Australian language

Example Sentences

Amongst the game of southern forests the wonga-wonga and bronze-wing pigeons are two really splendid birds, the latter as large as an ordinary blue-rock, and the former making all varieties of the pigeon tribe look like mere dwarfs beside them.

From Project Gutenberg

Wonga-wonga, wong′ga-wong′ga, n. the large Australian white-faced pigeon—a table delicacy.

From Project Gutenberg

Behold that splendid flock of wonga-wonga pigeons, with bronzen wings, that seem to shake the sunshine off them in showers of silver and gold, or, lower down, that mob of snowy-breasted cockatoos, going somewhere to do something, no doubt, and making a dreadful din about it, but quite a sight, if only from the glints of lily and rose that appear in the white of their outstretched wings and tails.

From Project Gutenberg

The fine large Wonga-Wonga Pigeon is becoming rare.

From Project Gutenberg

The wonga-wonga and bronze-wing and great fruit-pigeons are, like the "bald-pates" of Jamaica, all favourite birds with sportsmen, and some of the birds are far more brightly coloured than ours.

From Project Gutenberg