Nilghai
/ˈnɪlɡaɪ/noun
A large Asian antelope, especially the blue-gray nilgai of India and Pakistan.
Did you know?The nilgai’s name reflects a traditional comparison of the male’s slate-blue coat to a cow, an animal with deep religious and cultural significance in South Asia.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
nīla-gā́vī
“Blue cow; a compound of nīla, “blue,” and gā́vī, “cow””
Medieval Indo-Aryan
Prakrit
nīla-gāy
“Blue cow; a developing vernacular form of the Sanskrit compound”
Early Modern Period
Hindi
nīlgāy
“The nilgai antelope, literally “blue cow””
18th–19th Century
Urdu/Hindustani
nilgāy
“The large Indian antelope; the form encountered by English speakers”
19th Century
Anglo-Indian English
nilghai
“An English spelling variant of Hindustani nilgāy”
Modern English
English
nilghai
“A variant spelling of nilgai, the blue-gray Asian antelope”