Kiwis

[kee-wee] /ˈki wi/

noun, plural kiwis.
1.
any of several flightless, ratite birds of the genus Apteryx, of New Zealand, allied to the extinct moas.
2.
Also called Chinese gooseberry. the egg-sized, edible berry of the Chinese gooseberry, having fuzzy brownish skin and slightly tart green flesh.
3.
Slang.

4.
Informal. a New Zealander.
/ˈkiːwiːs/
plural noun
1.
the Kiwis, the men’s international Rugby League football team of New Zealand
/ˈkiːwiː/
noun (pl) kiwis
1.
any nocturnal flightless New Zealand bird of the genus Apteryx, having a long beak, stout legs, and weakly barbed feathers: order Apterygiformes See ratite
2.
short for kiwi fruit
3.
(informal) a New Zealander
n.

type of flightless bird, 1835, from Maori kiwi, said to be of imitative origin. As slang for “a New Zealander,” it is attested from 1918. The kiwi fruit (Actinia chinesis), was so called in U.S. from c.1966 when it was imported there, but it is known in New Zealand as Chinese gooseberry (1925).

noun

[fr the name of a flightless bird of New Zealand, fr Maori]