anoa
|a-no-a|
🇺🇸
/əˈnoʊə/
🇬🇧
/əˈnəʊə/
small Sulawesi water buffalo
Etymology
'anoa' originates from Indonesian or Malay, specifically the word 'anoa', where it referred to the local small wild buffalo.
'anoa' entered scientific and English usage in the 19th century via naturalists and colonial reports from Indonesia (often through Dutch or Malay sources), and has been used in zoological descriptions in English since then.
Initially, it referred to the local animal known by that name, and over time it has retained that specific meaning in English as the name for the dwarf buffalo species.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of two species of small wild water buffaloes (dwarf buffalo) native to Sulawesi and nearby Indonesian islands; often called the mountain anoa (Bubalus quarlesi) and the lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis).
Researchers photographed an anoa grazing near the riverbank.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/17 05:21