Addaxes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of antelope with long, slender horns, typically found in arid regions
2. a herbivorous mammal known for its distinctive physical features and adaptability to desert environments
3. characterized by its social behavior and preference for living in small herds in grassland habitats

Etymology: "Addaxes" is simply the plural of "addax," so the story belongs to the singular. The animal's name comes from French "addax," which was taken from Arabic "ʔabū ʕadas," literally "father of the lentil." The name reflects the animal's appearance rather than any food it eats: the lentil-like shape and spiral of its long, twisted horns evidently struck Arabic speakers as the defining feature. The Arabic phrase is built from "ʔabū," meaning "father of," and "ʕadas," meaning "lentil," a pattern common in Arabic naming where an animal is called "father of" some salient trait. The name passed into French and then into English, where the animal is named for the lentil-like form of its horns rather than anything it eats.