antelope

noun

an·​te·​lope ˈan-tə-ˌlōp How to pronounce antelope (audio)
plural antelope or antelopes
1
: any of various ruminant deerlike mammals (family Bovidae) chiefly of Africa and southwest Asia that have a slender lean build and usually horns directed upward and backward
2
: leather from antelope hide

Examples of antelope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The plan was lauded by conservationists for striking a balance between habitat protections for pronghorn antelope, sage grouse, elk, and mule deer while still allowing significant fossil-fuel and renewable-energy developments. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025 Jhala and his co-authors said the lions also prey on pigs and nilgais – a type of antelope - which helps eliminate animals the local farmers consider to be pests. Aishwarya S. Iyer, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025 The surrounding badlands provide the perfect habitat for a wealth of cactus species, while mammals span from mule deer to the pronghorn, an antelope-like animal that’s distantly related to modern-day giraffes. Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025 The bushmeat seized by CBP agents last month included 11 pounds of rodent meat from Togo, in West Africa, and 52 pounds of primate meat, declared as antelope, from Gabon, in Central Africa. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for antelope

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, fabulous heraldic beast, probably from Middle French antelop savage animal with sawlike horns, from Medieval Latin anthalopus, from Late Greek antholop-, antholops

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of antelope was in 1607

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Antelope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antelope. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

antelope

noun
an·​te·​lope ˈant-ᵊl-ˌōp How to pronounce antelope (audio)
plural antelope or antelopes
1
: any of various cud-chewing mammals chiefly of Africa and southwest Asia that are related to the goats and oxen and that have a slender lean build and usually horns directed upward and backward
2
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