Zarafa: Arabic word for giraffe can denote speed and grace, but also a tall story or a bleeding wound

The animal may not be as significant as the lion in the menagerie of symbolism, but it retains an elegance

Being the tallest land animal has its perks, as well as its pitfalls.

Giraffes are fascinating creatures, not only for their lofty grace and impossibly long necks, but also for the symbolism they have inspired across cultures. In Ancient Egypt, they were seen as the embodiment of elegance. Their commanding posture and height meant people believed they were a bridge to the celestial realm. In other parts of Africa, they were seen as mediators who brought wisdom and messages from spiritual realms.

The giraffe may not hold as significant a place as the lion, horse or falcon in the menagerie of animal symbolism within the Arabic language, but it still retains a certain elegance. Surprisingly, the Arabic word for giraffe has also engendered expressions that many people may not immediately associate with the creature, such as lies and bleeding wounds.

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Zarafa is Arabic for giraffe

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Zarafa is the Arabic for giraffe. Its plural forms include zarafat and zarafi. The word is also the etymological root of the English word, via the Italian giraffa and Spanish jirafa.

A group of people can also be referred to as al zarafatu, while jaau zurafat is an expression that denotes a large group of people arriving at a place.

If you use zarafa to refer to someone's walk, it means they sped up. One way to use that would be zarafa fi mashyihi. Note that the second vowel is not as elongated as the original word for giraffe.

Similarly, zarafa could refer to a spring someone has in their step or if they are running or jumping around playfully. The same word could also refer to a wound that has begun to bleed again. You could also say zarafa to refer to a person walking towards you.

When referring to someone’s speech or story, zarafa could refer to a lie – or, more aptly, a tall tale or exaggeration. Zarrafa, with a roll in the r, could mean an increase in number or intensity. If you are looking for a nickname for a person who walks and talks quickly, you could call them al zarrafu, which literally translates to the fast one.