springbok

American  

[spring-bok] / ˈsprɪŋˌbɒk /

noun

plural

springboks,

plural

springbok

1. a gazelle, Antidorcas marsupialis, of southern Africa, noted for its habit of springing into the air when alarmed.

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Springbok ¹ British  

/ -ˌbɒk, ˈsprɪŋˌbʌk /

noun

1. a person who has represented South Africa at rugby union

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springbok ² British  

/ ˈsprɪŋˌbʌk /

noun

1. an antelope, Antidorcas marsupialis, of semidesert regions of southern Africa, which moves in leaps exposing a patch of white erectile hairs on the rump that are usually covered by a fold of skin

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Etymology

Origin of springbok

1765–75; < Afrikaans. See spring, buck ¹

Example Sentences

They afford an opportunity for people from all backgrounds to encounter a range of animals, from drone bees to springbok or salmon, to better understand the natural world we live in.

From New York Times • Jul. 3, 2021

That’s what has brought them to Sossusvlei, Namibia, an otherworldly place where giant dunes rise over a wide salt plain dotted with groups of springbok, oryx and ostriches.

From New York Times • Mar. 7, 2014

Watched a cheetah hunt down and catch a springbok this morning..

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2011

Who would win in a fight between a lion and a springbok?

From The Guardian • Oct. 21, 2010

I left Mrs. Hauser sitting in her silky purple cloud under the springbok so that she didn’t have to battle her arthritis just to walk me to the door.

From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson