Bok
/bɒk/noun
A South African term for a male antelope, especially a springbok.
Did you know?Afrikaans bok comes from Dutch bok, meaning “goat,” while South African English broadened the term to refer especially to antelopes such as the springbok.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*buǵos
“A reconstructed term associated with a male goat or buck.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*bukkaz
“Male goat; buck.”
Old Dutch
Old Dutch
boc
“Goat or male goat.”
Middle Dutch
Middle Dutch
boc
“A he-goat or buck.”
17th Century
Afrikaans
bok
“Goat; later used in South African animal names.”
19th Century
English
bok
“A South African antelope, especially a springbok.”