cheetah

Noun

A large, swift-running wildcat known for its speed.
long-legged spotted cat of Africa and southwestern Asia having nonretractile claws; the swiftest mammal; can be trained to run down game
A distinctive member (Acinonyx jubatus) of the cat family, slightly smaller than the leopard, but with proportionately longer limbs and a smaller head; native to Africa and southeast Asia (where it is nearly extinct) and also credited with being the fastest terrestrial animal.

Examples

Playing CHEETAH on a triple word score was a swift move that won the game.

Origin / Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi चीता (cītā, “leopard, panther”), ultimately from Sanskrit चित्र (citra, “multicolored, speckled”) (akin to Old High German haitar (“bright”) > German heiter; Old Norse heiðr (“bright”)) + Sanskrit काय (kāya, “body”), thus “having a spotted body”.

Synonyms

Acinonyx jubatus, chetah, guepard, hunting cat, hunting leopard

Scrabble Score: 15

cheetah: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
cheetah: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
cheetah: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

cheetah: valid Words With Friends Word