giraffe

/dʒəˈræf/

/dʒɪˈrɑf/

Other forms: giraffes

A giraffe is an extremely tall animal with a very long neck. You can't miss the giraffes at the zoo, because they tower above all the other animals.

Giraffes are the tallest living animals on land, the very largest of them being three times taller than an average human. The name giraffe can be traced back to the Arabic zarafa and is thought to be rooted in an African language. An earlier English name for these African ungulates was camelopard, from their similarities to camels (four legs, long neck) and leopards (spots).

Definitions of giraffe

1. noun

   tallest living quadruped; having a spotted coat and small horns and very long neck and legs; of savannahs of tropical Africa
   synonyms: Giraffa camelopardalis, camelopard

   types:

   Okapia johnstoni, okapi

   similar to the giraffe but smaller with much shorter neck and stripe on the legs

   type of:

   ruminant

   any of various cud-chewing hoofed mammals having a stomach divided into four (occasionally three) compartments