Ankole-Watusi

noun

An·​ko·​le-Wa·​tu·​si aŋ-ˈkō-lē-wä-ˈtü-sē How to pronounce Ankole-Watusi (audio)
plural Ankole-Watusi or Ankole-Watusis
: any of an African breed of medium-sized cattle that have very large, long horns and often a small hump on the neck
A trio of Ankole-Watusi cattle made the Denver Zoo their new home Tuesday.Rocky Mountain News, 4 June 2008

Note: Ankole-Watusi cattle are typically considered the same as Ankole cattle or derived from them.

Word History

Etymology

ankole + watusi (alluding to Tutsi breeders of the cattle in Rwanda and Burundi)

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Ankole-Watusi was in 1985

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near Ankole-Watusi

Cite this Entry

“Ankole-Watusi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ankole-Watusi. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!