A kiwi is a type of bird that lives in New Zealand. Kiwis cannot fly.
3. countable noun
People who come from New Zealand are sometimes referred to as Kiwis. This use could cause offence.
[British, Australian]
kiwi in British English
(ˈkiːwiː)
nounWord forms: pluralkiwis
1.
any nocturnal flightless New Zealand bird of the genus Apteryx, having a long beak, stout legs, and weakly barbed feathers: order Apterygiformes
ratite
2. short for kiwi fruit
3. informal
a New Zealander
Word origin
C19: from Māori, of imitative origin
kiwi in American English
(ˈkiwi)
nounWord forms: pluralˈkiwis
1.
any of an order (Apterygiformes) of tailless New Zealand birds, with undeveloped wings, hairlike feathers, and a long, slender bill: it feeds chiefly on insects and worms
2. [alsoK-]
the brown, hairy, egg-sized fruit, with a sweet, edible, green pulp, of a vine (Actinidia chinensis) of a family (Actinidiaceae, order Theales) of dicotyledonous tropical trees, shrubs,and vines