wildebeest

[ wil-duh-beest, vil- ]

noun

, plural wil·de·beests, (especially collectively) wil·de·beest.

1. gnu.

wildebeest

/ ˈwɪldɪˌbiːst; ˈvɪl- /

noun

1. another name for gnu

Word History and Origins

Origin of wildebeest¹

1830–40; < Afrikaans wildebees < Dutch wildebeest, equivalent to wild wild + beest beast

Word History and Origins

Origin of wildebeest¹

C19: from Afrikaans, literally: wild beast

Example Sentences

Leopards are nocturnal animals that hunt a variety of prey, including wildebeest, antelope and fish, the Kruger National Park website says.

From BBC

The creatures include a walrus, a ladybug, a zebra, a wildebeest, a bat, a bush baby, a beaver and a crocodile.

From New York Times

In some areas, roads, fences, farms and urban sprawl have fractured the historic migratory routes of wildebeest herds and prevented them from roaming far and wide in search of fresh grass and water.

From Science Daily

The animals might be devouring a freshly killed wildebeest or young giraffe or maybe just lounging together in the grass.

From National Geographic

Looking across the Serengeti at herds of honking wildebeest, most of us would be awed by the exuberance of these migrating masses, resplendent in their magnitude.

From Scientific American