Quagga

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkwaxə/

Definitions

1. A now-extinct zebra species that once lived in South Africa is characterized by its distinctive striped pattern and horse-like body
2. This extinct member of the horse family was known for its unique appearance, combining features of the zebra and the horse
3. Previously inhabiting the grasslands of South Africa, this species exhibited both zebra-like stripes and an overall equine form before its extinction

Etymology: The quagga was a South African zebra, a subspecies of the plains zebra, whose name comes from the sound it made. The Dutch settlers who encountered it in the Cape borrowed the word "quagga" from a Khoisan language, most likely Haiǁom or Khoekhoe, where the term "ǁkoaah" is thought to imitate the animal's call. Afrikaans kept the form as "kwagga." The animal's name ended up describing it more than its appearance did. Its front half was striped in brown and cream, while the hindquarters faded to plain brown, so it looked like a zebra that had been only partly painted. The last known individual, a mare, died in Amsterdam in 1883, and the species was extinct soon after.