gazelle
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of gazelle
1575–85; < French; Old French gazel < Arabic ghazāla
Compare meaning
How does gazelle compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A gazelle is a graceful little antelope that's native to Africa and Asia. Gazelles are extremely fast, running at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Gazelles need to be speedy, since their predators include cheetahs, lions, and leopards. These elegant, long-legged animals were frequently used in ancient Arabic and Persian literature, usually as a symbol of female beauty, and gazelle comes from the Arabic ghazal, a lyric love poem typically set to music. The ancient Hebrew "Song of Songs" also includes a symbolic gazelle: "Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle."
Vocabulary lists containing gazelle
Africa - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Africa - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Africa - High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
During closing arguments in the Los Angeles case a week and a half ago, Mark Lanier, an attorney representing Kaley, compared the companies to a lion preying on a herd of gazelle on the Serengeti.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
The Attorney General‘s Office of the State of Baja California announced that Cesar Hernandez, 35, was captured on Thursday in a special operation dubbed “Gacela,” meaning gazelle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2025
She was called an "amiable anteater" with an "unbelievable nose", who resembled "a myopic gazelle".
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2023
Think about an elephant’s lower legs compared to those of a gazelle.
From Seattle Times ● May 8, 2023
Like the gazelle runs from the lion, I ran.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
The engravings, which depict animals such as camels, ibex, equids, gazelles, and aurochs, include 130 highly detailed and life-sized figures, some reaching up to 3 meters long and more than 2 meters tall.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2025
If it's best for gazelles to run only when the cheetah is hunting, then they benefit if they can identify when a cheetah is hungry.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 20, 2023
Because of the abundance there of grasses as sources of food, Africa’s savannas are home to a range of large grazing mammals including gazelles, wildebeests, elephants, ostriches, and zebras.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
These Terps are grinders, not gazelles, and shortening the game against a team that averaged 82.6 points — fifth in the nation — was the best philosophy.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 19, 2023
The way I feel as Agent Fiona approaches me is how gazelles must feel when a lion shows up.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
