wildebeest

noun

wil·​de·​beest ˈwil-də-ˌbēst 

plural wildebeests also wildebeest

: either of two large African antelopes (Connochaetes gnou and C. taurinus) with a head like that of an ox, short mane, long tail, and horns in both sexes that curve downward and outward

called also gnu

Illustration of wildebeest

Examples of wildebeest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The spectacle that unfolds can be likened to an underwater wildebeest migration—where the wildebeest are tropical fish and the predators are sharks. —Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025

Wildlife Lions, leopards, buffalo, elephants, rhino, hyaenas, cheetah, giraffe, zebras and the famous wildebeest migration can all be seen in Kenya and Tanzania. —Kent Redding, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2025

Tour operators, travel media, and social platforms frequently showcase only the peak moments, usually how wildebeests are plunging into the river where crocodiles are waiting to hunt them. —Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

And like the wildebeest, bison dung packs a nutritional punch when deposited across the landscape. —Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 29 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Afrikaans wildebees, from wilde wild + bees ox

First Known Use

circa 1824, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

wildebeest

noun

wil·​de·​beest ˈwil-də-ˌbēst 

plural wildebeest also wildebeest

: either of two large African antelopes with a head like that of an ox, a short mane, a long tail, and horns that curve downward and outward

called also gnu