giraffe

[ juh-raf or, esp. British, -rahf ]
/ dʒəˈræf or, esp. British, -ˈrɑf /

noun

a tall, long-necked, spotted ruminant, Giraffa camelopardalis, of Africa: the tallest living quadruped animal.
(initial capital letter) Astronomy. the constellation Camelopardalis.

Origin of giraffe

1585–95; < French girafe < Italian giraffa < dialectal Arabic zirāfah, perhaps < Persian zurnāpā

Example sentences from the Web for giraffe

British Dictionary definitions for giraffe

giraffe
/ (dʒɪˈrɑːf, -ˈræf) /

noun plural -raffes or -raffe

a large ruminant mammal, Giraffa camelopardalis, inhabiting savannas of tropical Africa: the tallest mammal, with very long legs and neck and a colouring of regular reddish-brown patches on a beige ground: family Giraffidae

Word Origin for giraffe

C17: from Italian giraffa, from Arabic zarāfah, probably of African origin