spoor
UK: spʊə | US: spʊr
n. the track or scent left by a wild animal
vt. to track or follow the spoor of an animal
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The word "spoor" originates from Afrikaans, derived from Dutch "spoor" (track, trace), which in turn comes from Middle Dutch "spor." Its roots trace back to Proto-Germanic "*spurą," meaning "track" or "footprint." The term was adopted into English in the early 19th century during colonial interactions in Southern Africa, where it became specialized in hunting contexts to describe animal tracks. Unlike many English words, "spoor" remains intact without prefix/root/suffix divisions, reflecting its loanword status.
The hunter followed the spoor of the leopard through the dense bush.
Fresh spoor indicated that the elephants had passed recently.
Tracking spoor requires patience and a keen eye for detail.
The rangers studied the spoor to estimate the size of the herd.
Without clear spoor, the search party struggled to locate the missing rhino.