dik-dik

American  

[dik-dik] / ˈdɪkˌdɪk /

noun

1. any antelope of the genus Madoqua or Rhynchotragus, of eastern and southwestern Africa, growing only to 14 inches (36 centimeters) high at the shoulder.

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dik-dik British  

/ ˈdɪkˌdɪk /

noun

1. any small antelope of the genus Madoqua, inhabiting semiarid regions of Africa, having an elongated muzzle and, in the male, small stout horns

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Etymology

Origin of dik-dik

First recorded in 1880–85; probably from an East African language; imitative of the animal's cry

Example Sentences

The commander, who had offered safe passage and a rare interview, released the dik-dik, which scuttled off into the bush.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 16, 2019

In a clearing in rural Somalia, a jihadi commander sat in a white plastic chair, stroking a dik-dik, an antelope the size of a cat.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 16, 2019

They are all small, the dik-dik being scarcely larger than a rabbit, and they are divided into as many subspecies as the duiker.

From In Africa Hunting Adventures in the Big Game Country by McCutcheon, John T.

Among the low brush at the edge of the river jungle dwelt also the dik-dik, the tiniest miniature of a deer you could possibly imagine.

From The Land of Footprints by White, Stewart Edward

We saw two or three dik-dik and one of the giraffes.

From The Land of Footprints by White, Stewart Edward