gnu
Americannoun
-
gnus,
plural
-
gnu
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of gnu
1770–80; < Khoikhoi, first recorded as t’gnu; probably to be identified with ǂnû black, as applying originally to the black wildebeest
Explanation
Have you heard the gnus? A gnu (the "g" is silent) is a large animal with hooves that's found in the southernmost part of Africa. You can see gnus in zoos. A gnu is the same thing as a wildebeest — gnu comes from the Dutch gnoe, which has roots in the Khoisan i-ngu and the Southern Bushman !nu: (with the ! and : representing clicks). Gnus are related to antelopes, sharing their long legs, curved horns, and hooves. The official term for a group of gnus is a herd, although many writers prefer the unofficial term "an implausibility of gnus."
Vocabulary lists containing gnu
Essential Three-Letter Words, Part 4
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Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
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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:
“I sold a gnu to an 80-year-old couple in Boston,” he said.
From New York Times ● Mar. 5, 2015
Beside the lake stands a lodge decorated with overstuffed couches, a billiard table and trophies — the heads of elk, impala, gnu and Cape buffalo — from his many expeditions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2014
At other times the kitten lies in wait on the vast savannah that is our garden, before spotting her mother and flying at her as if she was a wounded gnu.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 12, 2013
On the hillside roam bison, zebra, kangaroo, giraffe, llama, antelope, the emu and the gnu.
From Time Magazine Archive
Mr. MacPherson said, looking over his gnu glasses and wincing at the sheer volume.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
Lions, elephants and other African animals catch up on the latest gnus in the three-part nature series “Life at the Waterhole.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 2021
His research showed that these cow-like animals, also called gnus, have remarkable adaptations, enabling them to walk up to 50 miles over five days without drinking water.
From New York Times ● Oct. 24, 2018
Pseudoryx: A troublesome species of antelope, also known as fake gnus.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 8, 2017
There are lots of reasons for liking wildebeest… or gnus.
From Scientific American ● Feb. 26, 2014
They go for zebras, gnus and water buffaloes, and not only the old or the infirm in a herd—full-grown members too.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
