zebra

noun, plural ze·bras, (especially collectively) ze·bra.

1. any of several horselike African mammals of the genus Equus, each species having a characteristic pattern of black or dark-brown stripes on a whitish background: all zebra species are threatened or endangered.
2. Also called zebra butterfly. a tropical butterfly, Heliconius charithonius, having black wings barred with yellow.
3. (initial capital letter) a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter Z.
4. Football Slang. an official, who usually wears a black and white striped shirt.
5. zebra crossing.

noun plural -ras or -ra

1. any of several mammals of the horse family (Equidae), such as Equus burchelli (the common zebra), of southern and eastern Africa, having distinctive black-and-white striped hides

noun finance

1. a noninterest-paying bond in which the accrued income is taxed annually rather than on redemptionCompare zero (def. 12)

n.

c.1600, from Italian zebra, perhaps via Portuguese, earlier applied to a now-extinct wild ass, said to be Congolese [OED], or Amharic [Klein], but perhaps ultimately from Latin equiferus “wild horse,” from equus “horse” (see equine) + ferus (see fierce).