noun pl. zebras or zebra
- any of several swift African perissodactylous mammals (family Equidae) of the same genus (Equus) as the horse and ass, having dark stripes on a white or tawny body
- a butterfly (Heliconius charitonius) with black wings crossed by several yellowish bands
- ☆ Sports, Slang a referee who wears a vertically striped black-and-white shirt
Origin:
Port, zebra, earlier used of a wild ass (now extinct): said to be of Congolese orig., but prob. ult. < L equiferus, wild horse < equus (see hippo-) + ferus (see fierce)