quagga
[kwag-uh, kwog-uh]
- an extinct equine mammal, Equus quagga, of southern Africa, related to and resembling the zebra, but striped only on the forepart of the body and the head.
Origin of quagga
1775–85; < Afrikaans (now spelling kwagga) < Khoikhoi, first recorded as quácha (1691); said to be imitative of the animal's yelp
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for quagga
Historical Examples
After that he concluded to remain content with his quagga team.
There were two kinds of zebra, a quagga, and a buffalo, both huge and dangerous.
Impressions of South AfricaJames Bryce
Even the quagga is so banded upon the head and upper parts of its body.
The Bush BoysCaptain Mayne Reid
But, to his astonishment, he found that his quagga did not share his intention.
The Bush BoysCaptain Mayne Reid
He must fling himself to the ground, and let quagga and saddle go.
The Bush BoysCaptain Mayne Reid
quagga
- a recently extinct member of the horse family (Equidae), Equus quagga, of southern Africa: it had a sandy brown colouring with zebra-like stripes on the head and shoulders
Word Origin
C18: from obsolete Afrikaans, from Khoikhoi qǔagga; compare Xhosa i-qwara something striped
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for quagga
n.
zebra-like South African animal, 1785, from Afrikaans (1710), from the name for the beast in a native language, perhaps Hottentot quacha, probably of imitative origin. In modern Xhosa, the form is iqwara, with a clicking -q-. What was likely the last one died in an Amsterdam zoo in 1883.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper