cheetah

Meaning

Noun

• A distinctive member (Acinonyx jubatus) of the cat family, slightly smaller than the leopard, but with proportionately longer limbs and a smaller head. It is native to Africa and also credited with being the fastest terrestrial animal.

Related

Similar words

• hunting leopard, hunting cat

Origin

• Borrowed from Hindi चीता ("leopard, panther"), ultimately from Sanskrit चित्र ("multicolored, speckled") (akin to Old High German haitar ("bright") > German heiter; Old Norse heiðr ("bright")) + Sanskrit काय, thus “having a spotted body”.