bunyip

Where does the word "bunyip" come from? It comes from Wemba-Wemba banyip, and was adopted directly into English (1840s).

Bunyip’s story begins in Wemba-Wemba: banyip meant “water monster.” A dangerous water spirit said by the Wemba-Wemba of north-western Victoria to lurk in swamps, creeks and billabongs. It reached English by 1840s as bunyip. A strange skull found near the Murrumbidgee River in 1846 was put on show at the Australian Museum in Sydney in 1847 as a bunyip's, drawing crowds. Today, bunyip means a legendary monster said to live in Australian swamps and billabongs.

1. Stage 1 · Wemba-Wemba · 1840s banyip "water monster", a dangerous water spirit said by the Wemba-Wemba of north-western Victoria to lurk in swamps, creeks and billabongs.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1840s bunyip "legendary swamp creature; an impostor", a strange skull found near the Murrumbidgee River in 1846 was put on show at the Australian Museum in Sydney in 1847 as a bunyip's, drawing crowds.