Illustration of cheetah
plural cheetahs also cheetah
: a long-legged, swift-moving cat (Acinonyx jubatus) about the size of a small leopard with a yellowish to tan coat covered with numerous round to oval black spots and blunt claws that only partially retract and having a current range restricted to Africa and isolated parts of Iran
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A cheetah is a slender, long-legged cat that lives on the plains of Africa and in the Middle East, where it is threatened with extinction. It is the fastest land animal in the world over short distances and can reach a speed of 60 mph (100 kph). Its claws differ from those of other cats in being only partly retractable and lacking protective sheaths. Cheetahs purr rather than roar. Cheetahs grow to about 55 in. (140 cm) long, excluding the 29-31-in. (75-80-cm) tail, and weigh 110-130 lbs. (50-60 kg). Their coarse fur is sandy yellow above, white below, and covered with small black spots; a black streak runs down the face from the corner of each eye.
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The dress — which is a vintage look from Azzedine Alaïa’s fall 1991 collection, per Vogue — features a sheer cheetah print with black velvet lining and cups and a black velvet skirt with a paneled hem.
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Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 29 Jan. 2025
Officials at the zoo said a cheetah, mountain lion, swamphen, an Indian goose and a kookaburra died as a result of bird flu exposure.
—Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 30 Dec. 2024
Two big cats and three large birds − a cheetah, a mountain lion, a swamphen, a kookaburra and an Indian goose − died after contracting the virus, Jolene Westerling of the Wildlife World Zoo told USA TODAY.
—Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 25 Dec. 2024
Local reports stated that a cheetah, a mountain lion, a swamphen, an Indian goose and a kookaburra died as a result of bird flu, according to a zoo official.
—Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 14 Dec. 2024
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Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 29 Jan. 2025
Officials at the zoo said a cheetah, mountain lion, swamphen, an Indian goose and a kookaburra died as a result of bird flu exposure.
—Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 30 Dec. 2024
Two big cats and three large birds − a cheetah, a mountain lion, a swamphen, a kookaburra and an Indian goose − died after contracting the virus, Jolene Westerling of the Wildlife World Zoo told USA TODAY.
—Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 25 Dec. 2024
Local reports stated that a cheetah, a mountain lion, a swamphen, an Indian goose and a kookaburra died as a result of bird flu, according to a zoo official.
—Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 14 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cheetah
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Cite this Entry
“Cheetah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheetah. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cheetah
noun
chee·tah
ˈchēt-ə 
: a long-legged spotted African and formerly Asian cat that is the fastest of all animals on land
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