zebra-striped
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Meaning
Having a pattern of stripes like those of a zebra.
Structure
Usage
The children wore zebra-striped pajamas.
She painted a zebra-striped pattern on the vase.
The race car had a bold, zebra-striped livery.
Etymology
The word is a modern English compound adjective formed in the 19th century. The first element, 'zebra', entered English via Portuguese explorers from a Congolese language term for a wild equine. The second element, 'striped', derives from the Middle English 'stripe', a line or band, which has Germanic roots. The compound logically and visually describes an object bearing the distinctive, alternating dark and light band pattern characteristic of the zebra's hide, transferring a specific natural motif to manufactured or decorated items.
Analysis
- zebra: Origin: Portuguese, from Congolese (Kimbundu) 'zebra'. Role: Noun used attributively to denote the source of the pattern. - striped: Origin: Middle English, from the verb 'stripe' (of Germanic origin) + the past participle suffix '-ed'. Role: Adjective-forming suffix indicating the possession of a quality.