n.
Pronunciation: j ə - ' raf
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural giraffes
Etymology: Italian giraffa, from Arabic zir ā fa
Date: circa 1600
1 or plural giraffe : a large fleet African ruminant mammal ( Giraffa camelopardalis ) that is the tallest of living quadrupeds and has a very long neck and a short coat with dark blotches separated by pale lines
2 capitalized : CAMELOPARDALIS
– gi · raff · ish \ - ' ra-fish \ adjective
giraffe