cheetah

noun chee·tah \ ˈchē-tə \

|Updated on: 8 Jun 2018

Definition of cheetah

plural cheetahs also cheetah

: a long-legged spotted swift-moving African and formerly Asian cat (Acinonyx jubatus) about the size of a small leopard that has blunt nonretractile claws

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Recent Examples of cheetah from the Web

To pass the time, these cheetahs start talking about the wife and kids, and the upcoming tourist season.

— joe fassler, The Atlantic, "What Richard Pryor’s Stand-Up Can Teach Writers," 31 May 2018
There literally isn’t a single surface that isn’t covered with gilding, or cheetah, or inlay, or bric-a-brac.

— sadie stein, ELLE Decor, "In Defense of Maximalism," 23 May 2018
How far ahead should the cheetahs arrive before the lions?

— kevin sieff, Washington Post, "A 21st-century Noah’s ark transports animals back to places where they’ve been wiped out.," 18 May 2018
That car in the winner’s circle had about as much to do with your Monte Carlo as a cheetah does to a house cat.

— andy mikonis, chicagotribune.com, "Racing to production: Innovations on the track lead to improvements in the driveway," 15 Feb. 2018
Look at that, as graceful as a gazelle fleeing from a cheetah.

— breanna edwards, The Root, "Watching the Racist Lawyer Who Threatened to Call ICE on Spanish Speakers Run Away From Reporters Is My New Favorite Thing Ever," 18 May 2018
Luckily, the cheetahs were not hungry but simply protecting their territory, safari park manager Niels de Wildt told a Dutch radio station.

— National Geographic, "Family Chased by Cheetahs Highlights Dangers of Wildlife Parks," 11 May 2018
In a corner, Lin is working on restoring a 60-year-old jacket made of cheetah.

— janie har, USA TODAY, "San Francisco could become largest US city to ban fur sales," 20 Mar. 2018
In a corner, Lin is working on restoring a 60-year-old jacket made of cheetah.

— janie har, chicagotribune.com, "San Francisco could become largest U.S. city to ban fur sales," 20 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cheetah.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

A cheetah is a slender, long-legged cat that lives on the plains of Africa and in the Middle East, where it is threatened with extinction. It is the fastest land animal in the world over short distances and can reach a speed of 60 mph (100 kph). Its claws differ from those of other cats in being only partly retractable and lacking protective sheaths. Cheetahs purr rather than roar. Cheetahs grow to about 55 in. (140 cm) long, excluding the 29-31-in. (75-80-cm) tail, and weigh 110-130 lbs. (50-60 kg). Their coarse fur is sandy yellow above, white below, and covered with small black spots; a black streak runs down the face from the corner of each eye.

Illustration of cheetah

Origin and Etymology of cheetah

Hindi cītā & Urdu chītā leopard, from Sanskrit citraka, from citra bright, variegated; akin to Old High German heitar bright — more at -hood

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1610

in the meaning defined above

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