booner: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowColloquial / Regional / Slang
Quick answer
What does “booner” mean?
A large kangaroo (specifically a male red kangaroo) found in Australia.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A large kangaroo (specifically a male red kangaroo) found in Australia.
Used colloquially as a generic term for any large kangaroo, not necessarily a male red kangaroo. In more figurative or slang contexts, it can refer to a large or clumsy person, drawing on the size and hopping movement of the kangaroo.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is not used in the UK or US in its literal zoological sense. It is exclusively an Australianism. A speaker in the UK or US would only encounter it in texts about Australian wildlife or colloquial Australian speech.
Connotations
In Australia, it carries connotations of rural life, the Outback, and iconic native fauna. In other English-speaking regions, it has no connotations beyond being a novel foreign word for a kangaroo.
Frequency
Frequency is negligible outside of Australia. Even within Australia, terms like 'kangaroo', 'roo', 'big red', or 'old man' are more common.
Grammar
How to Use “booner” in a Sentence
[Adj] boonerSee a boonerLook at that boonerVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “booner” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- It was a booner of a kangaroo, towering over the fence.
American English
- He's a booner-sized bloke, isn't he?
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Very rare, potentially in specific zoological or ecological papers on Australian megafauna.
Everyday
Only in Australian informal speech, particularly in rural areas.
Technical
Rare zoological slang, not a formal taxonomic term.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “booner”
- Using 'booner' as a general term for any kangaroo outside of Australia.
- Assuming it is a standard English word.
- Spelling it as 'boonah' or 'boonar'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency word, used almost exclusively in Australian informal contexts.
Technically, no. Its core meaning is a male red kangaroo. However, in casual use, it may be applied loosely to any large kangaroo.
Only if you have a specific interest in Australian English or fauna. For general purposes, 'kangaroo' or 'big kangaroo' is perfectly sufficient.
Typically /ˈbuːnər/, with a rhotic 'r' sound at the end, following general American pronunciation patterns for similar words.
A large kangaroo (specifically a male red kangaroo) found in Australia.
Booner is usually colloquial / regional / slang in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He kicked like a booner.”
- “Jumping around like a booner on a hot plate.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A booner BOUNES higher than a small 'roo. Think 'BOUNCE' + 'KANGAROO'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SIZE IS POWER (a booner is a large, powerful animal); AWKWARD MOVEMENT (clumsy as a booner in a shop).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'booner' most appropriately used?