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zebra
[ zee-bruh; British also zeb-ruh ]
/ ˈzi brə; British also ˈzɛb rə /
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noun, plural ze·bras, (especially collectively) ze·bra.
any of several horselike African mammals of the genus Equus, each species having a characteristic pattern of black or dark-brown stripes on a whitish background: all zebra species are threatened or endangered.
Also called ze·bra but·ter·fly. a tropical butterfly, Heliconius charithonius, having black wings barred with yellow.
(initial capital letter) a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter Z.
Football Slang. an official, who usually wears a black and white striped shirt.
British. zebra crossing.
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Origin of zebra
1590–1600; 1975–80 for def. 4; <Portuguese zebra, zebro the Iberian wild ass (Spanish cebra), perhaps <Latin equiferus (Pliny) kind of wild horse, equivalent to equi- (combining form of equus horse) + ferus wild
OTHER WORDS FROM zebra
ze·bra·like, ze·bra·ic [zi-brey-ik], /zɪˈbreɪ ɪk/, adjectiveWords nearby zebra
zeatin, zeaxanthin, zebec, Zebedee, Zeboim, zebra, zebra body, zebra crossing, zebra finch, zebrafish, zebra label
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use zebra in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for zebra (1 of 2)
zebra
/ (ˈziːbrə, ˈzɛbrə) /
noun plural -ras or -ra
any of several mammals of the horse family (Equidae), such as Equus burchelli (the common zebra), of southern and eastern Africa, having distinctive black-and-white striped hides
Derived forms of zebra
zebra-like or zebraic (zɪˈbreɪɪk), adjectivezebrine (ˈziːbraɪn, ˈzɛb-) or zebroid, adjectiveWord Origin for zebra
C16: via Italian from Old Spanish: wild ass, probably from Vulgar Latin eciferus (unattested) wild horse, from Latin equiferus, from equus horse + ferus wild
British Dictionary definitions for zebra (2 of 2)
Zebra
/ (ˈziːbrə, ˈzɛbrə) /
noun finance
a noninterest-paying bond in which the accrued income is taxed annually rather than on redemptionCompare zero (def. 12)
Word Origin for Zebra
C20: from zero-coupon bond
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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