Gnu

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /njuː/

Definitions

1. A large African hoofed mammal with a massive head, curved horns, and a long tail, often found in herds on grasslands
2. A type of antelope known for its distinctive curved horns and robust body, which grazes in groups on open grasslands of Africa
3. This herbivorous quadruped, characterized by its large body and prominent horns, is commonly found in the savannas and plains of the African continent

Etymology: The gnu takes its name from the sound it makes. The word is borrowed from Khoekhoe, the language of the Khoikhoi peoples of southern Africa, and its exact source form is of unknown origin. Scholars have suggested it likely echoes the animal's grunting call, the snorting noise herds make as they move across the plains. The word reached English through the Afrikaans and Dutch-speaking settlers of the Cape, who encountered the wildebeest in the region and adopted the local name for it. Its more familiar alternative, "wildebeest", is itself Afrikaans, meaning "wild beast," and it has largely displaced "gnu" in everyday use, though the older word survives in zoological and conservation writing.

Synonyms: wildebeest