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cheetah

American  
[chee-tuh] / ˈtʃi tə /

noun

  1. a cat, Acinonyx jubatus, of southwestern Asia and Africa, resembling a leopard but having certain doglike characteristics, often trained for hunting deer, antelope, etc.: an endangered species.

cheetah British  
/ ˈtʃiːtə /

noun

  1. a large feline mammal, Acinonyx jubatus, of Africa and SW Asia: the swiftest mammal, having very long legs, nonretractile claws, and a black-spotted light-brown coat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cheetah

1695–1705; < Hindi cītā < Sanskrit citraka leopard; compare Pali cittaka, Prakrit cittaya

Compare meaning

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She comes back with another woman, about Mom’s age, dressed in a cream-colored cheetah print blouse and a black blazer, holding a thick folder.

From Literature

“Home” is a concept that Chase, a newly orphaned cheetah cub, struggles to make sense of.

From The Wall Street Journal

A story for young readers about a rescue dog and a young cheetah is inspired by real-world zoo practices.

From The Wall Street Journal

A story for young readers about a rescue dog and a young cheetah is inspired by real-world zoo practices.

From The Wall Street Journal

A story for young readers about a rescue dog and a young cheetah is inspired by real-world zoo practices.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.