hartebeest

noun

harte·​beest ˈhär-tə-ˌbēst 

: either of two large African antelopes (Alcelaphus buselaphus and Sigmoceros lichtensteinii) with long faces and short annulate divergent horns

also : a smaller antelope (Damaliscus hunteri) of eastern Africa having a horizontal white line between the eyes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Within that same area of the site were the bones of gazelles, zebra, wildebeest and the antelope-like hartebeest. —Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2017

Striped throngs of zebra bound below among groups of red hartebeest and shaggy waterbuck. —Paul Steyn, National Geographic, 2 May 2019

Most of the animal bones come from gazelles, but there were also the cut and broken bones of hartebeests, wildebeests, zebras, buffalos, porcupines, hares, tortoises, freshwater mollusks, snakes and ostrich eggs. —Bill Lindelof, sacbee.com, 7 June 2017

Word History

Etymology

obsolete Afrikaans (now hartbees), from Dutch, from hart deer + beest beast

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hartebeest

noun

harte·​beest ˈhärt-(ə-)ˌbēst 

: either of two large African antelopes with a long head and ringed horns