giraffe

[ juh-raf or, especially British, -rahf ]
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noun
  1. a tall, long-necked, spotted ruminant, Giraffa camelopardalis, of Africa: the tallest living quadruped animal.

  2. Giraffe, Astronomy. the constellation Camelopardalis.

Origin of giraffe

1
First recorded in 1585–95; from French girafe, from Italian giraffa, from dialectal Arabic zirāfah; further origin uncertain

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British Dictionary definitions for giraffe

giraffe

/ (dʒɪˈrɑːf, -ˈræf) /


nounplural -raffes or -raffe
  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

Origin of giraffe

1
C17: from Italian giraffa, from Arabic zarāfah, probably of African origin

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