A creature from Aboriginal Australian mythology, typically described as a dangerous water-dwelling monster or supernatural being.
From Yuggera (Australian Aboriginal language) bunyip, possibly meaning 'devil' or 'spirit.' English absorbed this word in the early 19th century as colonists learned Aboriginal folklore and mythology.
The bunyip became so famous in Australian culture that 19th-century newspapers would periodically report sightings, creating a sort of colonial urban legend—it shows how mythological creatures can blur the line between folklore and 'news' in popular imagination.
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