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zebra

 - 6 dictionary results

ze⋅bra

[zee-bruh; Brit. also zeb-ruh]
–noun, plural -bras, (especially collectively) -bra.
1. any of several horselike African mammals of the genus Equus, each species having a characteristic pattern of black or dark-brown stripes on a whitish background: all zebra species are threatened or endangered.
2. Also called zebra butterfly. a tropical butterfly, Heliconius charithonius, having black wings barred with yellow.
3. (initial capital letter) a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter Z.
4. Football Slang. an official, who usually wears a black and white striped shirt.
5. zebra crossing.

Origin:
1590–1600; 1975–80 for def. 4; < Pg zebra, zebro the Iberian wild ass (Sp cebra), perh. < L equiferus (Pliny) kind of wild horse, equiv. to equi- (comb. form of equus horse) + ferus wild


ze⋅bra⋅like, ze⋅bra⋅ic [zi-brey-ik] , adjective

zebra crossing

–noun
a street crossing marked with white stripes.
Also called zebra.


Origin:
1950–55
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ze·bra   (zē'brə)   
n.  
  1. Any of several swift, wild, horselike African mammals of the genus Equus, having distinctive overall markings of alternating white and black or brown stripes.

  2. Any of various striped organisms, such as the zebra butterfly.

  3. A referee in football.


[Italian, from Old Portuguese zevro, zevra, wild ass. Sense 3, from the referee's striped shirt.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
zebra

  1. n.
    a referee. (Because of the black-and-white striped shirt.) : The zebra blew the whistle on almost every play.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

zebra 
1600, from It. zebra, perhaps from Port., earlier applied to a now-extinct wild ass, said to be Congolese [OED], or Amharic [Klein], but perhaps ult. from L. equiferus "wild horse," from equus "horse" + ferus (see fierce).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

ZEBRA
A data management package in the CERN Program Library.

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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