Word: zebra Part of Speech: noun Etymology: First attested in 1600. Borrowed from Italian zebra, from Portuguese zebra, zebro (“zebra”), from Old Galician-Portuguese enzebro, ezebra, azebra (“wild ass”), from earlier cebrario (882), ezebrario (897), from Vulgar Latin *eciferus, from Latin equiferus (“wild horse”) (Pliny), from equus (“horse”) + ferus (“wild”). While the word was traditionally pronounced with a long vowel in the first syllable in standard English, during the twentieth century a vowel shift occurred in regions of England, with the shortening of the first vowel. This pronunciation is now used throughout the UK and most Commonwealth nations. The long-vowel pronunciation remains standard in Canadian and American English and is used in the UK only by some older, conservative RP speakers. (unlikely diagnosis): Originates in the advice often given to medical students, "when you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras". (referee): In reference to the black and white striped shirts they wear. Pronunciation: /ˈzɛb.ɹə/, /ˈziː.bɹə/, /ˈziːb.rɑː/ 1. Any of three species of subgenus Hippotigris: Equus grevyi, Equus quagga, or Equus zebra, all with black and white stripes and native to Africa. Example: A group of zebras can be called a dazzle. 2. A referee. Labels: slang 3. An unlikely diagnosis, especially for symptoms probably caused by a common ailment. Labels: slang Example: "It's a zebra! George. OK, I should explain. A zebra is..." "Medical slang for coming to an exotic diagnosis when a more simple explanation is more likely." "That's right. I was convinced that George, given his age and symptoms, had some kind of cardiac issue. It fit, it made sense. Because I was looking for the obvious when I should have been looking for the zebra! George is just having an allergic reaction to a combination of chemicals from all the stains and paints he's been using in the garage." 4. Someone who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or hypermobility spectrum disorder Labels: broadly Example: EDS charities around the world use a zebra logo to promote the idea that sometimes it really is that ‘rare’ condition. Example: “I was told in medical school, ‘when you hear hoofbeats think horses, not zebras,’” she says. Many trainee doctors receive the same advice – when a patient presents with symptoms, “look for the common thing.” That’s why EDS patients commonly refer to themselves as zebras – and also use the fabulous collective noun “dazzle.” The name represents rarity and evokes the stripy stretch marks that are a common feature on EDS skin. 5. A biracial person, specifically one born to a Sub-Saharan African person and a white person. Labels: derogatory, ethnic, slang, slur Example: “People change countries for all kinds of reasons,” Ross tells me. “But at least one of them was that she had this light-skinned, mixed-race child who had already been called a zebra at school.” 6. A zebra cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata). Labels: informal 7. Any of various papilionid butterflies of the subgenus Paranticopsis of the genus Graphium, having black and white markings. 8. A zebra crossing. Example: On his way home he'd picked up two economy-sized bags of tortilla chips, and had dropped both when a twat in a Lexus honked him on a zebra . . . 9. A fairy chess piece that is moved three squares in one direction and two at right angles to that direction in a single move, leaping over any intervening pieces.