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Glite Dictionary
Gazella thomsoni

Gazella thomsoni

9.9
A small gazelle from East Africa with a black stripe on its side
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Gazella thomsoni
  • The Gazella thomsoni is the smallest species of gazelle found in East Africa.

Examples

  • The Gazella thomsoni is known for its remarkable speed and agility on the African plains.

  • Wildlife photographers often travel to Kenya to capture images of the Gazella thomsoni in its natural habitat.

  • Unlike other antelopes, the Gazella thomsoni is easily recognized by its distinctive black side stripe.

  • The Gazella thomsoni is often found in open grasslands.

  • Can you spot a Gazella thomsoni in the wild?

  • Many tourists visit East Africa to see the Gazella thomsoni roaming the savannah.

  • The Gazella thomsoni has graceful movements that help it evade predators in the wild.

Synonyms

Thomson's gazelle
vsGazella thomsoni
1 6.7

A small thin gazelle from East Africa with a black stripe on its side

emphasizes being the smallest species rather than showing a side stripe

Surface Forms

Gazella thomsoni singular
Gazella thomsonis plural

Morphology

Gazella + thomsoni

The genus form 'Gazella' transparently signals that this is a type of gazelle, so a learner who knows that constituent can infer it denotes a species of gazelle. However, the species epithet 'thomsoni' is an eponymic proper name with no lexical meaning in English, so the specific identity or properties cannot be derived from its parts, making the overall phrase only partially transparent.

Etymology

Gazella thomsoni may come from the explorer Joseph Thomson who collected these small gazelles in East Africa long ago. Scientists used his last name, thomsoni, as the 'name' for the species, so the term now points to this particular small East African gazelle.