hartebeest

noun

harte·​beest ˈhär-tə-ˌbēst How to pronounce hartebeest (audio)
: a large African antelope (Alcelaphus buselaphus) with a long face and short annulate divergent horns
also : a smaller antelope (Beatragus hunteri) of eastern Africa having a horizontal white line between the eyes

Examples of hartebeest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Lionesses gang up on a hartebeest. Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 14 Jan. 2022 Within that same area of the site were the bones of gazelles, zebra, wildebeest and the antelope-like hartebeest. Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2017 Striped throngs of zebra bound below among groups of red hartebeest and shaggy waterbuck. Paul Steyn, National Geographic, 2 May 2019 Most of the animal bones come from gazelles, but there were also the cut and broken bones of hartebeests, wildebeests, zebras, buffalos, porcupines, hares, tortoises, freshwater mollusks, snakes and ostrich eggs. Bill Lindelof, sacbee.com, 7 June 2017

Word History

Etymology

obsolete Afrikaans (now hartbees), from Dutch, from hart deer + beest beast

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hartebeest was in 1786

Dictionary Entries Near hartebeest

Cite this Entry

“Hartebeest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hartebeest. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hartebeest

noun
harte·​beest ˈhärt-(ə-)ˌbēst How to pronounce hartebeest (audio)
: either of two large African antelopes with a long head and ringed horns

More from Merriam-Webster on hartebeest

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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