springbok

[ spring-bok ]

noun

, plural spring·boks, (especially collectively) spring·bok.

1. a gazelle, Antidorcas marsupialis, of southern Africa, noted for its habit of springing into the air when alarmed.

springbok

¹

/ ˈsprɪŋˌbʌk /

noun

1. an antelope, Antidorcas marsupialis, of semidesert regions of southern Africa, which moves in leaps exposing a patch of white erectile hairs on the rump that are usually covered by a fold of skin

Springbok

²

/ -ˌbɒk; ˈsprɪŋˌbʌk /

noun

1. a person who has represented South Africa at rugby union

Word History and Origins

Origin of springbok¹

1765–75; < Afrikaans. See spring, buck ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of springbok¹

C18: from Afrikaans, from Dutch springen to spring + bok goat, buck ¹

Example Sentences

“Rather, people can use terms like ‘Einstein,’ ‘springbok,’ perhaps even ‘computer,’ despite being too ignorant or wrong to provide identifying descriptions of their referents,” Professor Devitt said.

From New York Times

In prey species, locomotive play helps perfect predator-avoidance tactics such as the springbok’s “pronking” high into the air while running as a herd and landing in unpredictable spots.

From Scientific American

They afford an opportunity for people from all backgrounds to encounter a range of animals, from drone bees to springbok or salmon, to better understand the natural world we live in.

From New York Times

The fossil record reveals that around the time the grasslands became patchy, large grazing herbivores were replaced with smaller, more agile creatures like gazelle, springbok, and kudu.

From Science Magazine

South African game farmers have increasingly been breeding novel trophy animals, including some freakishly-coloured varieties such as the black impala, golden wildebeest or pure-white springboks.

From The Guardian