jackalope

noun

jack·​a·​lope ˈja-kə-ˌlōp How to pronounce jackalope (audio)
plural jackalopes
: a mythical animal that is reported chiefly from the western U.S. and is reputed to be the size of a small deer and to have the body of a jackrabbit and the horns of an antelope
Though stories mentioning horned creatures and animal hybrids exist in cultures and texts worldwide, in the U.S., the jackalope was "invented" by a creative hunter in Wyoming—paving the way for tourist attractions and cementing its place as a classic Americana relic.Kara Goldfarb
Do you really have the willpower to pass up snapping a photo of yourself with the 80-foot brontosaurus and giant stuffed jackalope out front?Bob Howells et al.
With a load of this brand of alcohol warming his belly, if a cowboy says he can lick double his weight of jackalopes, there's no doubt that he can't.Donald E. Getz
Papilloma viruses cause the hornlike growths in rabbits that probably gave rise to myths of "jackalopes" in the American West.Matthew Herper

Examples of jackalope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The jackalope is a fictional animal that originated in North America and is characterized by a rabbit with horns or antlers. Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025 The virus likely helped fuel the North American jackalope myth, which describes a rabbit with antlers or horns. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2025 Others have questioned if the rabbits with the growths could be jackalopes, a cryptid from American lore which is said to have the body of a jackrabbit and the horns of an antelope, per The Smithsonian. Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 13 Aug. 2025 The legend of the jackalope began as a light-hearted hoax, taxidermists combining rabbit bodies with deer antlers to create this mythical beast. Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 10 Oct. 2024 Those who know little about the jackalope will be happy that Michael Branch has come hopping along. Dave Shiflett, WSJ, 24 Feb. 2022 But the judge and Brun proceed along their questionable path, leaping to conclusions like happy jackalopes. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

jack(rabbit) + -alope, respelling of -elope in antelope

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jackalope was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jackalope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackalope. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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