giraffe

American  

[juh-raf, -rahf] / dʒəˈræf, -ˈrɑf /

noun

1. a tall, long-necked, spotted ruminant, Giraffa camelopardalis, of Africa: the tallest living quadruped animal.

2. Astronomy. Giraffe, the constellation Camelopardalis.

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giraffe British  

/ dʒɪˈrɑːf, -ˈræf /

noun

1. a large ruminant mammal, Giraffa camelopardalis, inhabiting savannas of tropical Africa: the tallest mammal, with very long legs and neck and a colouring of regular reddish-brown patches on a beige ground: family Giraffidae

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Etymology

Origin of giraffe

First recorded in 1585–95; from French girafe, from Italian giraffa, from dialectal Arabic zirāfah; further origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Bohm usually doesn’t stand out, even at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, with the nickname Raffe because a teammate thought he resembled a giraffe.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

As the animal grew from dog sized to horse sized to giraffe sized and eventually to enormous proportions, its place in the ecosystem shifted at each stage.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

Daniel Chiaberta zips through the crowds at the FAO Schwarz toy store in Midtown Manhattan, pointing out giant giraffe plush toys, luxury teddy bears and scented slime.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025

KWS veterinarian Dominic Mijele, who was part of the operation, told AFP the giraffe is the most difficult animal to move, the risks "numerous".

From Barron's • Nov. 17, 2025

“See the picture of the red giraffe on the box? I think the lady is from the zoo, Ruby. I think she’s getting ready to take you there.”

From "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate