antelope

American  

[an-tl-ohp] / ˈæn tlˌoʊp /

noun

antelopes 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.

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antelopine
  adjective
• antelopian
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• antelopes
  plural
• antelope
  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

ANTELOPE, a zoological name which, so far as can be determined, appears to trace its origin, through the Latin, to Pantholops, the old Coptic, and Antholops, the late Greek name of the fabled unicorn.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 2 "Anjar" to "Apollo" by Various