boomerang
boo·mer·ang/ˈbuːməɹæŋ/noun, verb
boomerang is spelled B-O-O-M-E-R-A-N-G: 9 letters and 3 syllables (boo·mer·ang). It appears 1.1 times per million words in written English, the 26,776th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, boomerang means “Any of various traditional throwing sticks used for hunting or combat by Australian aborigines, including the symmetrical, crescent-shaped, type (the…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of boomerang is boomerangs.
How many letters and syllables are in boomerang?
| Letters | 9: B-O-O-M-E-R-A-N-G |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: boo·mer·ang |
| In writing | 1.1 times per million words; the 26,776th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is boomerang?
Boomerang appears 1.1 times per million words in written English, the 26,776th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce boomerang?
- UK /ˈbuːməɹæŋ/
- British /ˈbʉwməɹaŋ/
- /ˈbuːməɹaŋɡ/
Boomerang has 3 syllables, split boo·mer·ang in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-boomerang.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of boomerang
- boomerangs plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- boomeranging participle, present
- boomeranged participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does boomerang mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Any of various traditional throwing sticks used for hunting or combat by Australian aborigines, including the symmetrical, crescent-shaped, type (the returning boomerang).
- 2
A flat curved airfoil that spins about an axis perpendicular to the direction of flight, originally used in various parts of the world as a hunting weapon or, in returnable types, for sports or training.
- 3
A breakdancing move in which the performer walks on their hands while keeping the legs raised off the ground.
- 4
A boomerang kick.
- 5
A device for changing the color of a followspot.
- 6
The early return of an aircraft whose mission was aborted, often due to technical failures.
For quotations using this term, see Citations:boomerang.
- 7
A cocktail made with rye whiskey and Swedish punsch.
verb
- 1
To return or rebound unexpectedly, especially when the result is undesired; to backfire.
- 2
To travel in a curved path.
- 3
To abort a mission and return to base early.
For quotations using this term, see Citations:boomerang.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Boomerang in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | boomerang, boumerang |
| German | Bumerang |
| Portuguese | bumerangue |
| Spanish | bumerán, búmeran, bumerang , bumeranear |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does boomerang come from?
Origin uncertain. Possibly from Thurawal. Long regarded as from the Sydney language, but early evidence unclear. The form boo-mer-it is glossed, c.1790, as 'scimeter' (i.e., scimitar) and the word bumarang, bumarañ is not explicitly recorded in the Sydney Language until 1903.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).