gacela

gazelle

noun gah-SEH-lah Rare

Origin: From Arabic ghazāl ('gazelle'), via French gazelle.

Usage Note

Gacela entered Spanish from Arabic through French. In Spanish it is feminine (la gacela). The word is also used as a term of poetic admiration for a graceful woman in literary contexts. In athletics, gacela is a colloquial nickname for an exceptionally fast runner.

Examples

"La gacela huyó del depredador."

Natural Translation

The gazelle fled from the predator.

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