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• zebra
  zebra

  noun

  any of several horselike African mammals of the genus Equus, each species having a characteristic pattern of black or dark-brown stripes on a whitish background: all zebra species are threatened or endangered.
• Zebra
  Zebra

  noun

  a noninterest-paying bond in which the accrued income is taxed annually rather than on redemption Compare zero

zebra

American  

[zee-bruh, zeb-ruh] / ˈzi brə, ˈzɛb rə /

noun

zebras plural

1. any of several horselike African mammals of the genus Equus, each species having a characteristic pattern of black or dark-brown stripes on a whitish background: all zebra species are threatened or endangered.

2. Also called zebra butterfly.  a tropical butterfly, Heliconius charithonius, having black wings barred with yellow.

3. (initial capital letter) a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter Z.

4. Football Slang. an official, who usually wears a black and white striped shirt.

5. British. zebra crossing.

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Zebra ¹ British  

/ ˈzɛbrə, ˈziːbrə /

noun

1. a noninterest-paying bond in which the accrued income is taxed annually rather than on redemption Compare zero

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zebra ² British  

/ ˈzɛb-, ˈziːbraɪn, ˈzɛbrə, zɪˈbreɪɪk, ˈziːbrə /

noun

1. any of several mammals of the horse family ( Equidae ), such as Equus burchelli (the common zebra ), of southern and eastern Africa, having distinctive black-and-white striped hides

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Other Word Forms

• zebra-like
  adjective
• zebraic
  adjective
• zebralike
  adjective
• zebrine
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of zebra

1590–1600; 1975–80 zebra for def. 4; < Portuguese zebra, zebro the Iberian wild ass ( Spanish cebra ), perhaps < Latin equiferus (Pliny) kind of wild horse, equivalent to equi- (combining form of equus horse) + ferus wild

Explanation

That black-and-white striped animal that looks like a horse? That's a zebra, a large African animal with hooves that you're most likely to see in a zoo. Like donkeys and horses, zebras are members of the family Equidae, or the horse family. Unlike the horses, however, zebras haven't ever truly been domesticated — so don't count on fulfilling your dream of riding a zebra. Zebra comes from Italian, ultimately going back to the Latin root equiferus, "wild horse." In the U.S., the first syllable of zebra is pronounced "zee," but in the U.K., it has a short e sound, like "tepid" or "web."

Example Sentences

The mother of four daughters and 13 grandchildren, was walking a family dog when she used a zebra crossing on Burdon Road at about 13:00 BST on 16 May, prosecutor Michael Bunch said.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

A zoo frantically looked for an escaped zebra but discovered the animal on the loose was actually a repainted donkey.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

In 2023, a male zebra became a global sensation after escaping from a zoo in Seoul and was seen roaming through the streets.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Medvedev believes the core mechanism behind the zebra stripes is now largely understood, though further refinements may improve precision.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

I think pretending to be Galleria is why I love zebra prints to this day.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles