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boomerang

boomerang , special form of throwing stick, used mainly by the aborigines of Australia. Other forms of throwing sticks were used by the peoples of ancient Egypt, Ethiopia, and India and by the indigenous peoples of the SW United States. The boomerang is sickle-shaped with arms slightly curved in opposite directions as in a propeller. The trajectory of a boomerang is usually an arc, but in some cases it is a full circle. The boomerang of the Australian aborigines (from whom the name is derived) is made in two types. The smaller boomerang, 12 to 30 in. (30 to 75 cm) long, is used only for sport and is thrown so that it returns to the thrower. The larger war boomerang is 24 to 36 in. (60 to 90 cm) long and does not return; it is used for hunting and warfare.

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"boomerang." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 23 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"boomerang." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (December 23, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-boomeran.html

"boomerang." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-boomeran.html

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boomerang

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Â© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

boomerang XIX. Austral. aboriginal name.

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T. F. HOAD. "boomerang." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 23 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "boomerang." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (December 23, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-boomerang.html

T. F. HOAD. "boomerang." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved December 23, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-boomerang.html

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boomerang

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Â© The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006, originally published by Oxford University Press 2006. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

boomerang a curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so as to return to the thrower, traditionally used by Australian Aboriginals as a hunting weapon.

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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "boomerang." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 23 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "boomerang." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (December 23, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-boomerang.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "boomerang." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Retrieved December 23, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-boomerang.html

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