C14: from Medieval Latin camēlopardus, from Greek kamēlopardalis, from kamēloscamel + pardalisleopard, because the giraffe was thought to have a head like a camel's and spots like a leopard's
camelopard in American English
(kəˈmɛləˌpɑrd)
noun
Obsolete
giraffe
Word origin
LL camelopardus < L camelopardalus < Gr kamēlopardalis < kamēlos, camel + pardalis, pard, leopard: so called from neck (like a camel's) and spots (like a pard's)