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gnu
gnu or wildebeest , large African antelope , genus Connochaetes. Its heavy head and humped shoulders resemble those of a buffalo, while the compact hindquarters are like those of a horse. The gnu has a beard, a short, erect mane, and a long, flowing tail. Members of both sexes have large horns that curve down, outward, and up. Gnus are grazing animals and live in herds on open grassland. They constantly move in an effort to locate new pastures. The sight of a gnu migration, with its distinctive style of movement, is perhaps the most impressive group event in the animal kingdom. There are two species. The brindled gnu, or blue wildebeest ( Connochaetes taurinus ), is a large, fierce-looking animal of S and E Africa. It stands 4 1/2 ft (135 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs about 500 lb (225 kg); its coat is bluish-gray mottled with brown on the sides. The tail, mane, and beard are black. In the northern variety of this species (called the white-bearded gnu), which ranges as far N as Kenya, the beard is white. The brindled gnu lives in herds of 20 to several thousand individuals, often led by one or several old females and often found grazing with herds of zebra. Gnus are swift runners and herds engage in elaborate evasive maneuvers when threatened; their chief predator is the lion. They graze in the morning and evening, resting during the heat of the day; they often travel long distances in search of water. The white-tailed gnu, or black wildebeest ( C. gnou ), is a somewhat smaller animal once abundant in S Africa. It is now probably extinct in the wild, but is protected in parks and reserves, where its numbers are increasing. Gnu is the San (Bushman) term for these animals; wildebeest is Afrikaans. Gnus are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Artiodactyla, family Bovidae. |
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"gnu." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gnu." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-gnu.html "gnu." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-gnu.html |
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gnu
gnu (wildebeest) Large, ox-like African antelope. The white-tailed gnu (Connochaetes gnou) is almost extinct. The brindled gnu (Connochaetes taurinus) lives in e and s Africa, where large herds migrate annually. It has a massive, buffalo-like head and a slender body. Both sexes are horned. Length: up to 2.4m (7.8ft); height: 1.3m (4ft); weight: up to 275kg (600lb). Family Bovidae.
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"gnu." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gnu." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-gnu.html "gnu." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-gnu.html |
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GNU
GNU
1. A portable UNIX-compatible software system that is freely distributed. Although copyright, it is licensed for use, modification, and subsequent distribution under the same terms. GNU is a self-referential acronym for GNU's Not UNIX. 2. The project of developing this software. |
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JOHN DAINTITH. "GNU." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN DAINTITH. "GNU." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-GNU.html JOHN DAINTITH. "GNU." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-GNU.html |
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gnu
gnu / n(y)oō/ • n. a large dark antelope (genus Connochaetes) with a long head, a beard and mane, and a sloping back. Also called wildebeest. |
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"gnu." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gnu." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-gnu.html "gnu." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-gnu.html |
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gnu
gnu XVIII. ult. — Bushman nqu, prob. through Du. gnoe.
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T. F. HOAD. "gnu." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "gnu." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-gnu.html T. F. HOAD. "gnu." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-gnu.html |
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gnu
gnu
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Cite this article
"gnu." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gnu." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gnu.html "gnu." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gnu.html |
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