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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

zebra

/ˈzibɹə/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:13
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What does zebra mean?

noun

  1. Any of three species of subgenus Hippotigris: Equus grevyi, Equus quagga, or Equus zebra, all with black and white stripes and native to Africa.
  2. (slang) A referee.
  3. (slang) An unlikely diagnosis, especially for symptoms probably caused by a common ailment.
More meanings (7)

noun

  1. Someone who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or hypermobility spectrum disorder
  2. (informal) A zebra cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata).
  3. Any of various papilionid butterflies of the subgenus Paranticopsis of the genus Graphium, having black and white markings.
  4. A zebra crossing.
  5. A fairy chess piece that is moved three squares in one direction and two at right angles to that direction in a single move, leaping over any intervening pieces.
  6. radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter Z.
  7. (derogatory, slang) A biracial person, specifically one born to a Sub-Saharan African person and a white person.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈzibɹə/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

The ass sometimes has very distinct transverse bars on its legs, like those on the legs of a zebra.
Charles DarwinThe Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection Or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 6th EditionProject Gutenberg ebook #2009
To dream of a zebra, denotes that you will be interested in varying and fleeting enterprises.
Gustavus Hindman MillerTen Thousand Dreams Interpreted; Or, What's in a Dream A Scientific and Practical ExpositionProject Gutenberg ebook #926
More book examples (3)
Then one is quite likely to hear the petulant, alarmed barking of zebra, or to feel the vibrations of many hoofs.
Stewart Edward WhiteThe Land of FootprintsProject Gutenberg ebook #1378
These little scenes afford us a glimpse of certain details of the highest interest in the habits of the Zebra Halictus.
Jean-Henri FabreBramble-Bees and OthersTranslated by Alexander Teixeira de MattosProject Gutenberg ebook #3421
By the time the zebra was skinned, darkness was fast approaching, so we selected a suitable tree in which to pass the night.
J. H. (John Henry) PattersonThe Man-Eaters of Tsavo, and Other East African AdventuresProject Gutenberg ebook #3810