<P> Thanks to its prowess at hunting, the cheetah was tamed and used to kill game at hunts in the past . The animal has been widely depicted in art, literature, advertising and animation . </P> <P> Classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the cheetah has suffered a substantial decline in its historic range due to rampant hunting in the 20th century . Several African countries have taken steps to improve the standards of cheetah conservation . By late 2016 - early 2017, the cheetah's global population had fallen to approximately 7,100 individuals in the wild due to habitat loss, poaching, the illegal pet trade, and conflict with humans, with researchers suggesting that the animal be immediately reclassified as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List . </P> <P> The vernacular name "cheetah" is derived from the Hindi word चीता (cītā), which in turn comes from the Sanskrit word चित्रकायः (citrakāyaḥ) meaning "bright" or "variegated". The first recorded use of this word has been dated back to 1610 . An alternative name for the cheetah is "hunting leopard". The scientific name of the cheetah is Acinonyx jubatus . The generic name Acinonyx could have originated from the combination of two Greek words: akinetos means motionless, and onyx means claw . A rough translation of the word would be "non-moving claws", a reference to the limited retractability (capability of being drawn inside the paw) of the claws of the cheetah relative to other cats' . The specific name jubatus means "maned" in Latin, referring to the dorsal crest of this animal . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> Lynx </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> Lynx rufus (Bobcat) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> L. canadensis (Canadian lynx) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> L. pardinus (Iberian lynx) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> L. lynx (Eurasian lynx) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> Puma </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> Acinonyx jubatus (Cheetah) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> Puma concolor (Cougar) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> P. yagouaroundi (Jaguarundi) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Felis </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> Felis chaus (Jungle cat) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> F. nigripes (Black - footed cat) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> F. silvestris silvestris (European wildcat) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> F. margarita (Sand cat) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> F. silvestris lybica (African wildcat) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> <P> F. catus (Domestic cat) </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> The Puma lineage, depicted along with the Lynx and Felis lineages of the family Felidae </Td> </Tr> </Table>

From which language has the word cheetah originated