Cape buffalo

American  

noun

1. a large black buffalo, Syncerus caffer, of southern Africa, having horns that meet at the base forming a helmetlike structure over the forehead.

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Cape buffalo British  

noun

1. another name for buffalo

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Etymology

Origin of Cape buffalo

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Living in nomadic groups, the men use handmade bows and arrows to hunt Cape buffalo, baboons and the rodent-like hyrax.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Large herbivores such as Cape buffalo and red deer make temporary pools by creating wallows, which also interrupt wildfires.

From Scientific American • Sep. 9, 2023

While on safari, Wilson hopes to see lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, Cape buffalo and giraffes in their natural habitats.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 4, 2021

That seems odd considering that in addition to elephants, Addo also has more than 200 black rhino, the rarest rhino species, as well as Cape buffalo herds and other endangered species.

From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2018

Not far away, at the edge of the forest that ringed our campsite, a Cape buffalo eyed us.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston