bighorn sheep

noun

big·​horn sheep ˈbig-ˌhȯrn- 

variants or less commonly bighorn

plural bighorn sheep also bighorns or bighorn

: a usually grayish-brown wild sheep (Ovis canadensis) of mountainous and desert regions of western North America

Note: The bighorn sheep has a white patch on the rump and, in the males, massive horns that curve up and back over the ears and then up and forward toward the cheeks.

Illustration of bighorn sheep

Examples of bighorn sheep in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bald eagles, another predator and scavenger, and bighorn sheep, a rugged mountain animal, have been reintroduced in native ranges and thrived. —Christine Peterson, Vox, 5 Aug. 2024

Permits for desert and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are difficult to get, sometimes impossible. —Jack O’Connor, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2024

Another advantage: Llamas don't transmit diseases to vulnerable species, such as bighorn sheep. —Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 18 Aug. 2024

Fall brings contrasting golden prairie grasses, while bighorn sheep and swift foxes make surprise appearances year-round. —Outside Online, 8 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bighorn sheep

noun

big·​horn sheep ˈbig-ˌhȯrn- 

: a usually grayish brown wild sheep of mountainous western North America

called also bighorn, Rocky Mountain sheep