antelope

American  

[an-tl-ohp] / ˈæn tlˌoʊp /

noun

plural

antelopes,

plural

antelope

1. any of several ruminants of the family Bovidae, chiefly of Africa and Asia, having permanent, hollow, unbranched horns.

2. leather made from the hide of such an animal.

3. pronghorn.

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antelope British  

/ ˈæntɪˌləʊp /

noun

1. any bovid mammal of the subfamily Antilopinae, of Africa and Asia. They are typically graceful, having long legs and horns, and include the gazelles, springbok, impala, gerenuk, blackbuck, and dik-diks

2. any of various similar bovids of Africa and Asia

3. another name for pronghorn

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Other Word Forms

• antelopian
  adjective
• antelopine
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of antelope

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English antelop, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin antalopus, from Medieval Greek anthólops, a fabulous beast described by Eustathius of Antioch (died 337); origin of word unknown

Compare meaning

How does antelope compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• pronghorn vs. antelope
• antelope vs. gazelle

Explanation

An antelope is an animal that resembles a deer, with four legs, hooves, and antlers. Most antelopes live in Africa. You might see an antelope if you visit a zoo or an exotic game ranch, though their native habitats are the African savannahs or the plains of Asia. Antelopes are fast, with long, slender legs and sleek bodies, and the species includes many different animals, including gazelles. The Greek root of antelope is antholops, a mythical horned creature possibly named for its long eyelashes, from anthos, "flower," and ops, "eye."

Example Sentences

Whitesides touted his success in bringing home federal funding for community colleges, job training programs, transportation improvements, support for aerospace companies, road improvements in the Antelope Valley and a rail modernization project.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The aircraft completed 10 east-west survey lines across Farmington Bay and the northern part of Antelope Island, covering a total of 154 miles.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026

“My family was impacted heavily because Japchibit was the political center of the Vanyume or Serrano people of the Antelope Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

“In my mind, I plan to pay for child care until she doesn’t need it anymore,” said Locke, who lives in Antelope Valley.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026

Antelope is more or less our daily bread.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver