wildebeest

noun

wil·de·beest ˈwil-də-ˌbēst

plural wildebeests also wildebeest

: either of two large African antelopes (Connochaetes gnou and C. taurinus) with a head like that of an ox, short mane, long tail, and horns in both sexes that curve downward and outward

called also gnu

Examples of wildebeest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Kenya is home to the Big Five (lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and buffalo), and its Maasai Mara National Reserve hosts the annual Great Migration when millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles cross the ecosystem. — Ashley Lynch july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 The evacuation was to provide the wildebeest with a tranquil environment, the outlet reported, and the animal ultimately returned to his enclosure on his own. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026 Vast herds of zebra, wildebeest, and gazelle moved across the horizon. — Sherry McAllister, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 But bonding keeps getting interrupted as big, implacable questions rear their head, like wildebeests slowly amassing and waiting to stampede. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for wildebeest

Word History

Etymology

Afrikaans wildebees, from wilde wild + bees ox

First Known Use

circa 1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of wildebeest was circa 1824

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

Wildean

wildebeest

wilde dagga

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Wildebeest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wildebeest. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

wildebeest

noun

wil·de·beest ˈwil-də-ˌbēst

plural wildebeest also wildebeest

: either of two large African antelopes with a head like that of an ox, a short mane, a long tail, and horns that curve downward and outward

called also gnu

wildebeest

noun

Illustration of wildebeest

Examples of wildebeest in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on wildebeest

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

vacuous

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes