okapi nounEtymology: Mvuba (language spoken west of Lake Edward, Democratic
Republic of the Congo) Date: 1900
an African ungulate mammal (Okapia johnstoni) that is closely
related to the giraffe but has a relatively short neck, a coat typically
of solid reddish chestnut on the trunk, yellowish white on the cheeks,
and purplish-black and cream rings on the upper parts of the legs
okapi n. (pl. same or okapis) a ruminant mammal, Okapia johnstoni, native to N. and NE Zaïre, with a head resembling that of a giraffe and a body resembling that of a zebra, having a dark
chestnut coat and transverse stripes on the hindquarters and upper legs only. Etymology: Mbuba
Okapi \O*ka"pi\, n. [Native name on the borders of Belgian
Kongo, possibly the same word as Mpongwe okapo lean.]
A peculiar mammal ({Okapia johnostoni}) closely related to
the giraffe, discovered in the deep forests of Belgian Kongo
in 1900. It is smaller than an ox, and somewhat like a
giraffe, except that the neck is much shorter. Like the
giraffe, it has no dewclaws. There is a small prominence on
each frontal bone of the male. The color of the body is
chiefly reddish chestnut, the cheeks are yellowish white, and
the fore and hind legs above the knees and the haunches are
striped with purplish black and cream color.
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