Giraffe definition

jə-răf
giraffes
See word origin
Frequency:
Either of two species (genus Giraffa, family Giraffidae) of African ruminants, with a very long neck and long legs: the tallest of existing animals, they often reach a height of 5.5 m (c. 18 ft)
noun
4
0
An African ruminant mammal (Giraffa camelopardalis) having a very long neck and legs, a tan coat with orange-brown to black blotches, and short horns. It is the tallest land animal, often reaching a height of 5 meters (16 feet).
noun
3
0
A ruminant, of the genus Giraffa, of the African savannah with long legs and highly elongated neck, which make it the tallest living animal; yellow fur patterned with dark spots, often in the form of a network; and two or more short, skin-covered horns.
noun
1
0
(Cockney rhyming slang) A laugh.

Are you having a giraffe?!

noun
1
0
the Giraffe
  • the constellation Camelopardalis
idiom
1
0
Advertisement

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
giraffe
Plural:
giraffes

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

the Giraffe

Origin of giraffe

  • French girafe from Italian giraffa from Arabic dialectal zirāfa probably of African origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From French giraffe (now girafe), from Arabic زَرَافَة (zarāfa, “giraffe”), apparently ultimately from Persian زرناپا (zurnāpā, “giraffe”), a compound of زرنا (zurnā, “flute, zurna”) and پا (pā, “leg”).

    From Wiktionary

Giraffe Sentence Examples

  • In the giraffe it may be absent or present.

  • The zebra, giraffe and the rare okapi are found in the north-eastern borderlands.

  • The elephant, giraffe, lion, leopard, hyena, zebra, buffalo, gnu, quagga, kudu, eland and many other kinds of antelope roamed the plains; the rhinoceros, hippopotamus and crocodile lived in or frequented the rivers, and ostriches and baboons were numerous.

  • Missy gets a red crayon to color the giraffe's eyes.

  • Giraffe print borders are not just for children.

More sentences

Related articles

Also Mentioned In

Words near giraffe in the Dictionary