wildebeest
Americannoun
-
wildebeests,
plural
-
wildebeest
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of wildebeest
1830–40; < Afrikaans wildebees < Dutch wildebeest, equivalent to wild wild + beest beast
Explanation
A wildebeest is a large, four-legged animal with hooves and curved horns. You might be able to see herds of wildebeests if you travel to the open plains of Africa south of the Sahara desert. Another name for a wildebeest is a gnu. The word wildebeest comes from the Afrikaans wildebees, or "wild beast," while gnu is derived from a name native Africans used for the animal. An antelope relative, the wildebeest is distinctive for its shaggy mane and front-heavy shape, with most of its weight in its forequarters. Wildebeests are migratory, traveling as much as 1000 miles each year.
Vocabulary lists containing wildebeest
Africa - Introductory
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Africa - Middle School
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Africa - High School
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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:
Herds of rampaging wildebeest have looked less awe-inspiring as these fans have for weeks.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
The study shows wildebeest frequently crisscross the Sand River and the areas surrounding the Ritz-Carlton, even though they avoid forested areas nestling the camp due to the risk of predators.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
"If every lion that was born survived to become an adult and breed, you'd run out of zebra and wildebeest pretty quick."
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2025
Jamelle, I think you wanted to answer in a more substantive way than my wildebeest comment.
From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2025
“Does that wildebeest think I just magic up these supplies from the supply fairy?”
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
"How does cyanide kill the elephants and leave behind the zebras, antelopes and wildebeests, which are eating the grass together?"
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
The term climate migration has an orderly, almost bucolic ring to it, evoking as it does the age-old seasonal treks of caribou, wildebeests, and other charismatic species.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2023
In some regions, such as Tanzania and Kenya in East Africa and Botswana in southern Africa, hunter-gatherers followed the seasonal migrations of large game animals, such as wildebeests and elephants.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
In the rainy seasons, the expansive floor is lush and teeming with animals, including massive herds of migrating wildebeests.
From New York Times ● Apr. 17, 2023
I want to be going away with Brian, like on a plane to the Serengeti to watch the blue wildebeests migrate.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
