From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
giraffe
n : tallest living quadruped; having a spotted coat and small
horns and very long neck and legs; of savannahs of
tropical Africa [syn: camelopard, {Giraffa
camelopardalis}]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
giraffe \gi*raffe"\ (j[i^]*r[a^]f"; 277), n. [F. girafe, Sp.
girafa, from Ar. zur[=a]fa, zar[=a]fa.] (Zool.)
An African ruminant (Giraffa camelopardalis formerly
Camelopardalis giraffa) related to the deers and antelopes,
but placed in a family (Giraffidae) by itself; the
camelopard. It is the tallest of quadriped animals, being
sometimes twenty feet from the hoofs to the top of the head.
Its neck is very long, and its fore legs are much longer than
its hind legs. There are three types, having different
patterns of spots on the pelt and different territories: the
Reticulated Giraffe, the Masai Giraffe, and the {Uganda
Giraffe}. Intermediate crosses are also observed.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Camelopard \Ca*mel"o*pard\ (k[.a]*m[e^]l"[-o]*p[aum]rd or
k[a^]m"[e^]l*[-o]*p[aum]rd; 277), n. [LL. camelopardus, L.
camelopardalus, camelopardalis, fr. Gr. kamhlopa`rdalis;
ka`mhlos a camel + pa`rdalis pard, leopard: cf. F.
cam['e]lopard. The camelopard has a neck and head like a
camel, and is spotted like a pard. See Camel, and Pard.]
(Zool.)
An African ruminant; the giraffe. See Giraffe.
[1913 Webster]