gnu
Americannoun
noun
Other Word 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.
"After leading the DA into the GNU, my next chapter must be to eradicate this devastating disease from our shores once and for all," the 49-year-old said.
From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026
Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah heads the GNU in the west, while commander Khalifa Haftar's administration runs the east.
From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025
"I do think the GNU comes out of this looking quite strong," says Pillay.
From BBC • May 23, 2025
The GNU was created through a U.N.-backed process in 2021 to unify Libya's divided institutions and oversee an election planned for that year.
From Reuters • May 25, 2023
The GNU utilities also have ``long forms'' for the options; the long form of -k is -apropos.
From Debian GNU/Linux : Guide to Installation and Usage by Goerzen, John
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.
