giraffe

From Middle French giraffe (Modern French girafe), from Arabic زَرَافَة (zarāfa, “giraffe”); ultimately from Classical Persian زُرْنَاپَا (zurnāpā), a compound of زُرْنَا (zurnā, “flute”) and پَا (pā, “leg”). Displaced earlier camelopard.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dʒɪˈɹɑːf/
• (Northern England, Scotland) IPA^(key): /dʒɪˈɹaf/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒəˈɹæf/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːf

giraffe (plural giraffes or giraffe)

1. A ruminant, of the genus Giraffa, of the African savannah with long legs and highly elongated neck, which make it the tallest living animal; yellow fur patterned with dark spots, often in the form of a network; and two or more short, skin-covered horns, so-called; strictly speaking the horn-like projections are ossicones.
2. A giraffe unicycle.
3. (Cockney rhyming slang) A laugh.

   Are you having a giraffe?!

4. (Internet slang, uncommon) A very tall individual.

• African skyscraper
• camelopard
• (a laugh) bubble bath, bubble

• giraffe on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Giraffa on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Giraffa on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

• riffage

Possibly via German Giraffe, from Italian giraffa, from Arabic زَرَافَة (zarāfa).

• IPA^(key): /ʒiˈrɑf/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: gi‧raf‧fe
• Rhymes: -ɑf

giraffe f (plural giraffen or giraffes, diminutive giraffetje n or girafje n)

1. Alternative spelling of giraf.

• Audio

  (file)

giraffe f (plural giraffes)

1. Archaic spelling of girafe.

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒiˈraf.fe/
• Rhymes: -affe
• Hyphenation: gi‧ràf‧fe

giraffe f

1. plural of giraffa