antelope

American  

[an-tl-ohp] / ˈæn tlˌoʊp /

noun

antelopes, plural antelope plural

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

Derived Forms

• antelopian
  adjective
• antelopine
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• antelope
  plural
• antelopes
  plural

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

The girl was taken to Antelope Valley Medical Center for her injuries and released.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026

Most of the islands are, as Antelope was until this year, submerged reefs which in the past had no human settlements.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

This is why China is building out Antelope Reef at such a rapid pace, says Ray Powell, the director of Sealight, which is based in Stanford University and monitors the South China Sea.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

Outposts built before Antelope Reef drew significant international attention.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Antelope would have young, and birds would build nests.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer