giraffe

noun

gi·​raffe jə-ˈraf How to pronounce giraffe (audio)
plural giraffes
1
or plural giraffe : a large fleet African ruminant mammal (Giraffa camelopardalis) that is the tallest of living quadrupeds and has a very long neck and a short coat with dark blotches separated by pale lines
2
Giraffe : camelopardalis
giraffish adjective

Illustration of giraffe

Illustration of giraffe
  • giraffe 1

Examples of giraffe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Pancake is the nearly 6-foot giraffe calf. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Feb. 2026 His little giraffe tail bounced up and down to the rapturous applause of an audience that included people wearing inflatable frog suits. Toluse Olorunnipa, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026 Following the procedure, members of the giraffe herd — including Okidi’s mother, Zara — were allowed to observe the calf, a step the zoo says is important for maintaining herd dynamics and supporting emotional adjustment among the animals. Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 20 Feb. 2026 In these unedifying spectacles, the lion was just one of a host of large creatures, from wolves to giraffes, that were released into an amphitheater to be hunted down by specialist gladiators known as bestiarii. Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for giraffe

Word History

Etymology

Italian giraffa, from Arabic zirāfa

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of giraffe was circa 1600

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Cite this Entry

“Giraffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/giraffe. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

giraffe

noun
gi·​raffe ˈjə-ˈraf How to pronounce giraffe (audio)
plural giraffes or giraffe
: a large swift cud-chewing spotted African mammal with a very long neck that is the tallest of living four-footed animals

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