nilgai
/'nilgai/ Cách viết khác : (nylghau) /'nilgɔ:/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: - A large Asian antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) native to the Indian subcontinent. The male has a bluish-grey coat with white markings and short, straight horns. The female is tawny to brownish and hornless.
Usage
- The term "nilgai" is used specifically to refer to this single species of antelope. It functions as a countable noun.
- Example: "The farmer saw a herd of nilgai grazing near the forest edge."
- Example: "A large male nilgai, with its distinctive blue-grey hue, stood watch over the group."
Advanced Usage
- In zoological and conservation contexts, "nilgai" is the common name, with as the scientific binomial.
- Example: "While the nilgai is the largest Asian antelope, it is sometimes considered a pest in agricultural areas due to crop damage."
Variants and Related Words
- Nylghai / Nylghau (noun): An alternative, though now less common, spelling for "nilgai."
- Blue bull (noun): A common vernacular name for the nilgai, derived from the male's coloration.
Synonyms
- Blue bull: The most common synonym in Indian English.
- Boselaphus tragocamelus: The scientific Latin name.
Notes on Meaning
- The word "nilgai" originates from Hindi (nīlgāy), meaning "blue cow," reflecting the animal's size and the male's bluish-grey color. It refers exclusively to this one species and is not a general term for antelope.
Noun
- large Indian antelope; male is blue-grey with white markings; female is brownish with no horns