giraffe

• n. [脊椎] 长颈鹿

来自阿拉伯语。

giraffe

giraffe: [17] The 16th-century name for the ‘giraffe’ was camelopard, a compound of camel and leopard appropriate enough in view of the animal’s long neck and leopard-like spots, but in the 17th century a rival term came on the scene – giraffe. This was borrowed from either French girafe or Italian giraffa, both of which go back to Arabic zirāfah, a word probably of African origin.

giraffe (n.)

long-necked ruminant animal of Africa, 1590s, giraffa, from Italian giraffa, from Arabic zarafa, probably from an African language. Earlier Middle English spellings varied wildly, depending on the foreign source, and included jarraf, ziraph, and gerfauntz, some apparently directly from Arabic, the last reflecting some confusion with olifaunt "elephant."

In Arabye, þei ben clept Gerfauntz; þat is a best pomelee or spotted .. but a lityll more high þan is a stede, But he hath the necke a xxti cubytes long. [Mandeville's Travels, c. 1425]

The modern form of the English word is attested by c. 1600 and is via French girafe (13c.). Replaced earlier camelopard, a compound of camel (for the long neck) and pard (n.1) "leopard" (for the spots).

来自辞典例句

2. Curious to relate, the giraffe has no voice.

说来奇怪, 长颈鹿不会出声.

来自辞典例句

3. It makes you look like a giraffe with a goiter.

这领子让你看起来像一只脖子上长瘤的长颈鹿.

来自电影对白

4. You mean you get the hyena, and I choose between the hippo and the giraffe?

你是说你挑了土狼剩下河马和长颈鹿给我挑?

来自电影对白

5. If giraffe runs for too long, it might die from overheating.

如果长颈鹿跑得过远, 它可能会因为过热而死亡.

来自互联网