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
capitalized : camelopardalis
giraffish adjective

Illustration of giraffe

Illustration of giraffe
  • giraffe 1

Examples of giraffe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The zoo said that a necropsy was performed on the animal, which determined that the young giraffe died after breaking her neck. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 This search can yield a lot of surprises, as illustrated by the giraffes in Africa. Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2024 Gerstein painted the base of Lively's nails in the shade and then transitioned to the giraffe print French manicure, dotting the tips of Lively's nails with those instantly recognizable blobs of color like a giraffe's hide. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 14 Feb. 2024 Ride open-air vehicles across the savanna, observing giraffes, rhinos, zebras and other African wildlife in their natural habitats. 5. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2024 In August, Brights Zoo founder Tony Bright told PEOPLE that the last record of a spotless giraffe birth was in 1972 at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 The giraffe post has been liked nearly one million times since Feb. 2, much more than what the embassy’s Weibo posts usually get. Li Yuan, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 But zebra, tiger, and cow patterns are also worth trying—and now, thanks to Blake Lively, we're inspired to try a giraffe pattern too. Lea Hüttinger, Glamour, 14 Feb. 2024 Rumination is a process shared by creatures ranging from giraffes to sheep, animals that mostly eat cellulose-rich material such as grass and leaves. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 22 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'giraffe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near giraffe

Cite this Entry

“Giraffe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/giraffe. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on giraffe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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