emu
C1Formal for zoology; Technical for computing/typography; Neutral for general reference.
Definition
Meaning
A large, flightless Australian bird of the genus Dromaius, related to the ostrich, with long legs and a long neck.
1) In computing, a type of software or hardware that mimics (emulates) another system. 2) A unit of measurement in typography equal to the size of the typeface's point size.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
In general use, overwhelmingly refers to the bird. Technical meanings (computing emulator, typographic unit) are homographs/homophones with distinct, non-biological origins.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage for the primary (bird) sense.
Connotations
Primarily associated with Australia in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects outside specific contexts (zoology, Australian topics).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The emu [verb of motion: ran, sprinted, wandered].An emu's [noun: neck, leg, egg] is [adjective: long, large, green].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly featuring 'emu']”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; may appear in contexts of exotic farming or tourism.
Academic
Common in zoology, biology, and environmental science texts about Australasia.
Everyday
Used in general knowledge, wildlife documentaries, and discussions about Australia.
Technical
In computing: 'a PlayStation emu'. In typography: 'a space of 2 ems'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form for the bird. In computing slang: 'I tried to emu the old console.']
American English
- [No standard verb form for the bird. In computing slang: 'He spent hours trying to emu that game.']
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form]
American English
- [No standard adverb form]
adjective
British English
- The emu population is stable.
- They studied emu behaviour.
American English
- She bought some emu leather boots.
- Emu farming regulations vary by state.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The emu is a big bird from Australia.
- Emus cannot fly.
- We saw an emu at the wildlife park; it was taller than me.
- Emus eat plants and insects.
- The emu, along with the kangaroo, is featured on the Australian coat of arms.
- Emu farming for meat and oil has become a niche agricultural industry.
- Conservation efforts have helped stabilise the wild emu population after historical declines.
- In typographic design, an 'em' (originally the width of a capital M) is a unit derived from the point size, not to be confused with the avian emu.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
EMU: Enormous Massive (and) Unique – describes the large, distinctive bird.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMU as a symbol of Australia (like the kangaroo).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not to be confused with Russian 'ему' (to him/it).
- The word is a direct borrowing, not translated as 'страус' (ostrich), which is a different bird.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling: 'emeu' (archaic), 'emue'.
- Pronunciation: Mispronouncing as /ˈɛmjuː/ or /ˈiːmuː/.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'emu' most likely NOT refer to the bird?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. They are both ratites (flightless birds) but belong to different families and continents. Ostriches are from Africa, emus from Australia.
No, emus are flightless birds. They have small, vestigial wings but powerful legs for running.
It's a common shorthand or slang for 'emulator' – a program that allows one computer system to behave like another.
A unit of measurement equal to the currently specified point size. For example, in 12-point type, one 'em' is 12 points wide. Its name comes from the letter 'M', but it's unrelated to the bird.