Donkey Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary (2024)

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Donkey Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary? ›

The domesticated ass (Equus asinus), having long ears and a loud bray. American Heritage. An obstinate person. American Heritage. A person regarded as stupid, foolish, or obstinate.

British Dictionary definitions for donkey

donkey. / (ˈdɒŋkɪ) / noun. Also called: ass a long-eared domesticated member of the horse family (Equidae), descended from the African wild ass (Equus asinus) a stupid or stubborn person.

: a stupid or obstinate person.

In contrast to Grecian works, donkeys were portrayed in Biblical works as symbols of service, suffering, peace and humility. They are also associated with the theme of wisdom in the Hebrew Bible's story of Balaam's ass, and are seen in a positive light through the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.

This means that the proper scientific name for the donkey is Equus africanus asinus when it is considered a subspecies and Equus asinus when it is considered a species. At one time, the synonym ass was the more common term for the donkey.

Leaving the passage indicated in BibleWorks4 and to conclude, we should note that the donkey expresses the idea of 'peace' and 'ordinariness', as well as 'God's omnipotence who, if he wants to, makes something great of the most ordinary thing'.

The Biblical Accounts of Jesus Riding a Donkey

This showed that Jesus was the Messiah. Second, the donkey symbolizes peace, humility, and servitude. Jesus demonstrated his dedication to peace and serving others. Like horses, donkeys were used as work animals, not for wealth, power, or war.

In conclusion, if donkeys weren't afraid of bridges, calling somebody a donkey might actually be a compliment today to mean passing a test or being smart. Another humorous side note: a German word for mnemonic is Eselsbrücke.

Miyamoto used "donkey" to convey "stubborn" in English; while "Kong" was simply to imply him being a "large ape", the name Donkey Kong was intended to convey "stubborn ape" to the American audience.

A donkey is also known as an ass after its Latin subgenus name, Asinus, and ass is often used as an insult essentially meaning "a stupid or foolish person." This is completely separate from its bum-related meaning.

What does donkey teach us? ›

Take your time. Patience is the donkey's superpower. They're willing to wait and thoroughly think through any move they make.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me!

2: Donkeys are social animals; they like company and form strong bonds with companions. Fig. 1: Donkeys are full of character and can be very entertaining! Donkeys (Equus asinus) are natural browsers and will graze up to 16 hours a day on a diet of high fibre plant material.

The truth about donkey intelligence

Donkeys have an excellent memory, and great ability to learn. A 2013 study by The Donkey Sanctuary found that they can learn and problem-solve at the same pace as dolphins and dogs. This means that donkeys remember good and bad experiences for a long time.

The donkey itself is also interpreted as a sign of humility. In Christianity, this animal becomes almost a symbol of Christ himself, given how it patiently suffers and bears others' burdens. Horses, on the other hand, tend to be associated with royalty, power and war.

A donkey in a dream indicates many things but in most cases, it symbolizes hard work, honesty, and financial stability after many struggles. Your dream clearly indicates that you should be careful while taking advice from others, as people can misguide you.