cheetah

[chee-tuh]

noun

1. a cat, Acinonyx jubatus, of southwestern Asia and Africa, resembling a leopard but having certain doglike characteristics, often trained for hunting deer, antelope, etc.: an endangered species.

cheetah

/ ˈtʃiːtə /

noun

1. a large feline mammal, Acinonyx jubatus, of Africa and SW Asia: the swiftest mammal, having very long legs, nonretractile claws, and a black-spotted light-brown coat

Word History and Origins

Origin of cheetah¹

1695–1705; < Hindi cītā < Sanskrit citraka leopard; compare Pali cittaka, Prakrit cittaya

Word History and Origins

Origin of cheetah¹

C18: from Hindi cītā, from Sanskrit citrakāya tiger, from citra bright, speckled + kāya body

Example Sentences

“I just got a FaceTime call from my brother @cheetah,” Armstead wrote on X. “First thing he said ‘man I’m just happy we got that win’!!

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She also has a string of commercial deals, appearing in bespoke cheetah print boots in the semi-final win over France and big-screen adverts for the tournament's official beer.

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For decades these animals – lions, tigers, pumas, cheetahs and jaguars – have been a sign of power, status and even political fealty in the country.

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Authorities in India's Kuno National Park have started disciplinary action against a forest worker who is seen offering water to a cheetah and her cubs in a video that has gone viral online.

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In a corridor she painted a picture of an Iranian cheetah running.

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Related Words

• bobcat 
• caracal 
• cougar 
• jaguar 
• leopard 
• lion 
• lynx 
• mountain lion 
• ocelot 
• panther 
• puma 
• tiger 
• wildcat