Real Dictionary

cheetah
countable noun: A cheetah is a wild animal that looks like a large cat with black spots on its body. Cheetahs can run very fast.

cheetah in American English
a swift, long-legged cat (Acinonyx jubatus) of Africa and S Asia, with a small head, nonretractile claws, and a black-spotted coat: it can be trained to hunt
noun: a cat, Acinonyx jubatus, of southwestern Asia and Africa, resembling a leopard but having certain doglike characteristics, often trained for hunting deer, antelope, etc.: an endangered species

cheetah in British English
noun: a large feline mammal, Acinonyx jubatus, of Africa and SW Asia: the swiftest mammal, having very long legs, nonretractile claws, and a black-spotted light-brown coat