Bunyip
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈbʌnjɪp/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Bunyip is a noun meaning (Australia, cryptozoology, mythology) A mythical Australian monster, said to inhabit swamps and lagoons.
Meaning
(Australia, cryptozoology, mythology) A mythical Australian monster, said to inhabit swamps and lagoons.
More Meanings
- (Australia, slang, obsolete) An imposter or con-man.
- Ellipsis of bunyip bird.
Example Sentences
One particularly fierce bunyip described by Smith was well known as a man-eater throughout south Australia.
According to the stories, the Bunyip comes in many different shapes and sizes—some are covered in feathers, while others have scales like a crocodile. Most Aboriginal drawings show the Bunyip with a tail like a horse, and flippers and tusks like a walrus.
The bunyip here was considered to have a magical power over humans, causing them considerable misfortune. Places where there were many eels tended to be where bunyips lived, as this was their food. On one occasion, Aboriginal people claimed that a bunyip lured a woman to her death by distracting her with a large catch of eels. It was considered extremely bad luck to kill or injure a bunyip.
Word Forms
- bunyips
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include pobblebonk, poddy, yabby, cowal, cunjevoi, tupilak.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.