gnu
English edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from Khoekhoe ǃnu:, likely onomatopoeic of the grunt-type noise of the gnu.
Pronunciation edit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /njuː/
- (UK) IPA(key): /njuː/, /ɡəˈnuː/[1], /ɡəˈnjuː/[1]
Audio (Southern England) (file)
- (US) IPA(key): /nuː/, /njuː/
- Homophones: new, nu, knew, GNU (UK)
- Rhymes: -uː
Noun edit
gnu (plural gnus or gnu)
- A large antelope of the genus Connochaetes, native to Africa, having curved horns.
- Synonym: wildebeest
Usage notes edit
- Pronunciation with initial /ɡ/ popularized as a joke, in particular through The Gnu Song.[2][3]
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
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References edit
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 “gnu”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
- ^ Sue Butler (2020) “False patterns in English spelling”, in Rebel Without A Clause[1], Macmillan, →ISBN: “The pronunciation [guh-noo] was popularised as a joke until we all heard that pronunciation so often that it seemed more familiar than [nu].”
- ^ Flanders and Swann (lyrics and music) (1957) “The Gnu Song”: “If the animal in question hadn't put that chap to shame / And remarked "I h'ain't a h'elk, I'm a g-nu"”
Further reading edit
Anagrams edit
Danish edit
Etymology edit
From German Gnu, from Afrikaans ghnoe, from Bantu.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
gnu c (singular definite gnuen, plural indefinite gnuer)
Inflection edit
Finnish edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from German Gnu, from Khoekhoe !nu:.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
gnu
- gnu, wildebeest (antelope of the genus Connochaetes)
- black wildebeest, white-tailed gnu, Connochaetes gnou (large antelope native to south Africa)
- Synonym: valkohäntägnu
- blue wildebeest, brindled gnu, Connochaetes taurinus (large antelope native to eastern Africa)
- Synonym: juovagnu
Declension edit
Inflection of gnu (Kotus type 21/rosé, no gradation) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
nominative | gnu | gnut | ||
genitive | gnun | gnuiden gnuitten | ||
partitive | gnuta | gnuita | ||
illative | gnuhun | gnuihin | ||
singular | plural | |||
nominative | gnu | gnut | ||
accusative | nom. | gnu | gnut | |
gen. | gnun | |||
genitive | gnun | gnuiden gnuitten | ||
partitive | gnuta | gnuita | ||
inessive | gnussa | gnuissa | ||
elative | gnusta | gnuista | ||
illative | gnuhun | gnuihin | ||
adessive | gnulla | gnuilla | ||
ablative | gnulta | gnuilta | ||
allative | gnulle | gnuille | ||
essive | gnuna | gnuina | ||
translative | gnuksi | gnuiksi | ||
abessive | gnutta | gnuitta | ||
instructive | — | gnuin | ||
comitative | See the possessive forms below. |
Derived terms edit
Italian edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from French gnou, from Khoekhoe ǃnu:, likely onomatopoeic in origin.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
gnu m (invariable)
References edit
- ^ gnu in Luciano Canepari, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)
Further reading edit
- gnu in Collins Italian-English Dictionary
- gnu in Aldo Gabrielli, Grandi Dizionario Italiano (Hoepli)
- gnu in garzantilinguistica.it – Garzanti Linguistica, De Agostini Scuola Spa
- gnu in Dizionario Italiano Olivetti, Olivetti Media Communication
- gnu in sapere.it – De Agostini Editore
- gnu in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
Norwegian Bokmål edit
Etymology edit
From an African language, via German Gnu.
Noun edit
gnu m (definite singular gnuen, indefinite plural gnuer, definite plural gnuene)
- a gnu or wildebeest (large antelope)
References edit
- “gnu” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk edit
Etymology 1 edit
From German Gnu, from Afrikaans ghnoe. Ultimately Khoekhoe.
Noun edit
gnu m (definite singular gnuen, indefinite plural gnuar, definite plural gnuane)
- a gnu or wildebeest (large antelope)
Etymology 2 edit
From Old Norse gnúa. Cognate with Icelandic núa.
Verb edit
gnu (present tense gnur, past tense gnudde, past participle gnutt/gnudd, passive infinitive gnuast, present participle gnuande, imperative gnu)
- (transitive) to rub hard
- (transitive) to compress, crush
- (intransitive) to work hard and evenly
- (intransitive) to nag
References edit
- “gnu” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Anagrams edit
Polish edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
gnu n or f (indeclinable)
- gnu, wildebeest (any antelope of the genus Connochaetes)
- Synonym: antylopa gnu
Further reading edit
Portuguese edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from French gnou.[1][2]
Pronunciation edit
- Rhymes: -u
- Hyphenation: gnu
Noun edit
gnu m (plural gnus)
References edit
- ^ “gnu” in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa. Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2024.
- ^ “gnu” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.
Romanian edit
Etymology edit
Noun edit
gnu m (uncountable)