gazelle

noun ga·zelle \ gə-ˈzel \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of gazelle

plural gazelles also gazelle

: any of numerous small to medium graceful and swift African and Asian antelopes (Gazella and related genera)

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Recent Examples of gazelle from the Web

The case stemmed from a 1998 incident in which Khan, while on a movie shoot, took his co-stars hunting and shot and killed two black bucks and a gazelle in a wildlife preserve in the western state of Rajasthan.

— parth m.n., latimes.com, "Salman Khan, a troubled Bollywood megastar, sentenced to prison in poaching case," 5 Apr. 2018
An intact bowl, overlaid with a golden glaze, shows a valet attending to a cheetah; the animals were trained by the Fatimids to hunt gazelle.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Landmark Exhibition Takes You Inside the Exuberant, Diverse World of the Fatimid Dynasty," 21 Mar. 2018
The show, opening Friday, will give you a look at mummified animals, from a baboon to a young gazelle to a baby crocodile.

— steve johnson, chicagotribune.com, "A first look at the new 'Mummies' at the Field Museum," 13 Mar. 2018
Their list included antelopes, giraffes, elephants, lions, cheetahs, zebras, baboons, gorillas, warthogs, hyenas, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses and gazelles.

— karen kaplan, Anchorage Daily News, "Study: Elephants, lions and other wild animals are sensitive to the effects of war," 11 Jan. 2018
But then, his menagerie is gone too; gazelles, peacocks, giraffes, even reindeer once roamed these grounds.

— mary kaye schilling, Town & Country, "Incredible Art, Centuries-Old Spas, and How to Get the Best Deals at the Grand Bazaar: Istanbul Like You've Never Seen Before.," 15 Sep. 2015
There is very little ambiguity when the mountain lion eviscerates the rabbit, or the leopard rips apart the gazelle.

— michelle dean, New York Times, "What Makes Someone a ‘Predator’?," 19 Dec. 2017
Bolt’s technique, by contrast, resembles that of a gazelle: heels clicking backward and up, nearly tapping his rear as his spikes point to the sky with every stride.

— adam willis, Slate Magazine, "How Usain Bolt could have run even faster.," 4 Aug. 2017
Other species get their gossip from middens—especially mammals that live in large social groups like gazelles, monkeys, and rabbits—but the study is the first time the behavior has been confirmed in rhinos.

— National Geographic, "Rhinos Use Poop Piles Like a Social Network," 11 Jan. 2017

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

Illustration of gazelle

Origin and Etymology of gazelle

French, from Middle French, from Arabic ghazāl

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First Known Use: 1600

in the meaning defined above

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GAZELLE Defined for English Language Learners

gazelle

noun

Definition of gazelle for English Language Learners

: a small animal that is a kind of antelope and that is very graceful and fast

GAZELLE Defined for Kids

gazelle

noun ga·zelle \ gə-ˈzel \

Definition of gazelle for Students

: a swift graceful antelope of Africa and Asia

Learn More about gazelle

See words that rhyme with gazelle Spanish Central: Translation of gazelle Nglish: Translation of gazelle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of gazelle for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gazelle

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gazelle

Definition of gazelle

Recent Examples of gazelle from the Web

Illustration of gazelle

Origin and Etymology of gazelle

GAZELLE Defined for English Language Learners

gazelle

Definition of gazelle for English Language Learners

GAZELLE Defined for Kids

gazelle

Definition of gazelle for Students

Learn More about gazelle

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gazelle

Definition of gazelle

Recent Examples of gazelle from the Web

Illustration of gazelle

Origin and Etymology of gazelle

GAZELLE Defined for English Language Learners

gazelle

Definition of gazelle for English Language Learners

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gazelle

Definition of gazelle for Students

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