giraffe
dʒɪˈræf
noun
Origin
Arabic
zarāfa — giraffe
Overview
Meaning Now
- A large African mammal with a very long neck and legs, and a patterned coat, belonging to the genus Giraffa.
Literal older meaning
the swift one
Language path
Arabic → Old French → English
Earliest form
giraffa
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The giraffe was known to the ancient world, often appearing in Roman processions. Europeans in the Middle Ages referred to it as a 'camelopard' (camel-leopard) because it was thought to be a hybrid between a camel and a leopard.
Evolution
- Arabic
zarāfa
“giraffe”
Possibly derived from a Cushitic or Somali word meaning 'the swift one'.
- Old French
girafe
“giraffe”
Borrowed via Italian and medieval trade routes.
- English
giraffe
“giraffe”
First recorded in English in the late 16th century.
Connections
Related across languages
Italian
giraffa
giraffe
French
girafe
giraffe
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.