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gazelle

noun
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ga·​zelle | \ gə-ˈzel How to pronounce gazelle (audio) \
plural gazelles also gazelle

Definition of gazelle

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

Illustration of gazelle

Illustration of gazelle

Examples of gazelle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Like a gazelle galloping through a meadow, Imani Perez maneuvers up and down the floor for the Mullen Mustangs. — Jake Shapiro, The Denver Post, "Eyeing potential dynasty, Mullen girls basketball ready to defend its 4A title," 6 Dec. 2019 Her gait was compared variously to that of a gazelle and an antelope. — Emily Langer, Washington Post, "Enriqueta Basilio, sprinter who made history as first woman to light Olympic flame, dies at 71," 4 Nov. 2019 In the wild, fewer than 500 Dama gazelles exist, the zoo said. — Martin Weil, Washington Post, "Dama gazelle dies after months of ill health, National Zoo reports," 18 Sep. 2019 But in the dry seasons, when food resources are scarcer, ostriches and buffalos tend to strike out alone, and Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles prefer the company of their own species. — Eva Frederick, Science | AAAS, "Animal friendships change with the weather in African savanna," 6 Aug. 2019 Three giraffes, three red river hogs, three bongos (large forest antelope) and a springbok (a gazelle-like antelope) were inside a barn that was destroyed by the blaze, said the Danbury Township Police. — Hollie Silverman, CNN, "The cause of a fire that killed 10 animals at an Ohio safari park is unknown," 29 Nov. 2019 Willie’s more slender and more of a gazelle, runs the floor unbelievably well. — Steve Kroner, SFChronicle.com, "Warriors’ Willie Cauley-Stein and Thunder’s Steven Adams represent old-school centers," 25 Nov. 2019 The lions exert dominance, the gazelles leap, the birds flutter and the grasses blow in the breeze. — Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, "'The Lion King' roars into Louisville with stunning costumes and vibrant choreography," 2 Nov. 2019 At 6-1 and 226 pounds, Shaffer moves like a gazelle running a 4.61-second 40-yard dash and is a Swiss Army knife on offense and defense. — Dana Scott, azcentral, "ASU commit linebacker Will Shaffer of Scottsdale Saguaro was raised to be a Sun Devil," 16 Oct. 2019

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.

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First Known Use of gazelle

1600, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for gazelle

French, from Middle French, from Arabic ghazāl

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Time Traveler for gazelle

Time Traveler

The first known use of gazelle was in 1600

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Statistics for gazelle

Last Updated

7 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Gazelle.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gazelle. Accessed 26 January 2020.

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More Definitions for gazelle

gazelle

noun
How to pronounce gazelle (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of gazelle

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

See the full definition for gazelle in the English Language Learners Dictionary

gazelle

noun
ga·​zelle | \ gə-ˈzel How to pronounce gazelle (audio) \

Kids Definition of gazelle

: a swift graceful antelope of Africa and Asia

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More from Merriam-Webster on gazelle

Rhyming Dictionary: 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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