Gazella

/ɡəˈzɛlə/ noun

Definition

A genus of antelopes (the true gazelles), belonging to the family Bovidae and found across Africa and Asia.

Etymology

From the scientific Latin name Gazella, derived from the Arabic ghazal and formalized by Carl Linnaeus for biological classification, representing the true gazelles.

Kelly Says

When Linnaeus was naming animals scientifically, he took the common English word 'gazelle' (already borrowed from Arabic through French) and Latinized it into 'Gazella' for the genus—showing how science builds on popular language.

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