Illustration of cheetah
plural cheetahs also cheetah
: a long-legged, swift-moving cat (Acinonyx jubatus) about the size of a small leopard with a yellowish to tan coat covered with numerous round to oval black spots and blunt claws that only partially retract and having a current range restricted to Africa and isolated parts of Iran
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A cheetah is a slender, long-legged cat that lives on the plains of Africa and in the Middle East, where it is threatened with extinction. It is the fastest land animal in the world over short distances and can reach a speed of 60 mph (100 kph). Its claws differ from those of other cats in being only partly retractable and lacking protective sheaths. Cheetahs purr rather than roar. Cheetahs grow to about 55 in. (140 cm) long, excluding the 29-31-in. (75-80-cm) tail, and weigh 110-130 lbs. (50-60 kg). Their coarse fur is sandy yellow above, white below, and covered with small black spots; a black streak runs down the face from the corner of each eye.
Examples of cheetah in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lucky for the cub, Cincinnati Zoo cheetah Etosha gave birth to two cubs earlier this month.
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Bebe Hodges, USA TODAY, 22 June 2024
Let cheetah and pup Show us the road to concord!
With haste!
—Drew Goins, Washington Post, 12 June 2024
On this massive expanse of land, thousands of lions and leopards, hundreds of cheetahs and 500 bird species roam.
—Catherine Garcia, theweek, 30 Apr. 2024
Such is the charmed life of Harold & Kumar, which glides along on the enormous goodwill of stars Kal Penn and John Cho, much like their alter egos briskly escape peril atop the hide of a CGI cheetah.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cheetah 
Bebe Hodges, USA TODAY, 22 June 2024
Let cheetah and pup Show us the road to concord!
With haste!
—Drew Goins, Washington Post, 12 June 2024
On this massive expanse of land, thousands of lions and leopards, hundreds of cheetahs and 500 bird species roam.
—Catherine Garcia, theweek, 30 Apr. 2024
Such is the charmed life of Harold & Kumar, which glides along on the enormous goodwill of stars Kal Penn and John Cho, much like their alter egos briskly escape peril atop the hide of a CGI cheetah.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cheetah
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cheetah.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cheetah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheetah. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cheetah
noun
chee·tah
ˈchēt-ə 
: a long-legged spotted African and formerly Asian cat that is the fastest of all animals on land
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