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

Example Sentences

In the 1990s, he even introduced a herd of scimitar-horned oryxes, as part of a conservation effort to protect the endangered Saharan antelope.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

The boys point out a lizard, an antelope squirrel and a Joshua tree.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2024

Leopards are nocturnal animals that hunt a variety of prey, including wildebeest, antelope and fish, the Kruger National Park website says.

From BBC • Jul. 31, 2024

Whole-animal dinners, which must be ordered in advance and serve a crowd, include options like alligator, antelope, goat, wild boar and free-range American pigs.

From Salon • Jul. 22, 2024

She felt like an antelope circled by hyenas.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer