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gerenuk

gerenuk

1 9.9
A slender East African antelope that stands on hind legs to eat leaves
  • noun
  • /ˈɡɛrənʌk/
  • UK
: gerenuco
  • While on safari, we spotted a gerenuk gracefully browsing among the acacia trees.

Examples

  • The gerenuk is known for its unique ability to stand on its hind legs to reach leaves high in the trees.

  • Oh, that's a gerenuk.

  • "Can we go back through the gerenuk country?"

    Fiction book (2000)
  • - Carlton, this is Jim Gerenuk.

  • Then we go southeast to the old Manyatta and we are in the gerenuk country. "It will be nice to be there," she said.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • The slender gerenuk stood upright, using its long neck to access the tender vegetation above.

Synonyms

Litocranius walleri
vsgerenuk
  • Specialized
9.9

A slender antelope from East Africa with a long neck and backward-curving horns that feeds on leaves high in trees

is the familiar common name emphasizing upright tree browsing
Litocranius
vsgerenuk
  • Specialized
9.9

A long-necked African antelope that stands on its hind legs to reach leaves

is a narrower term for one species rather than the whole genus

Surface Forms

gerenuk singular
gerenuks plural

Etymology

Gerenuk comes from Somali, where the name means 'long-neck' or 'giraffe-neck'. That's why the gerenuk is known for its very long neck and for standing upright on its hind legs to reach high leaves.