Giraffe
/dʒəˈræf/noun
A tall African mammal with a very long neck, long legs, and spotted coat.
Did you know?The English word ultimately comes from Arabic and Italian trade routes, showing how a real-world animal name can carry the imprint of medieval commerce across continents.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient North African/Arabic
Arabic
زرافة (zarāfa)
“a giraffe”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
زرافة (zarāfa)
“the tall African animal”
13th–14th Century
Italian
giraffa
“a giraffe”
14th Century
Old French
girafe
“a giraffe”
16th Century
English
giraffe
“the tall African mammal”