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

Possible sightings include elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and the resident bison roaming the park. —Lynn O'Rourke Hayes, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2025

There are only approximately 80,000 North American bighorn sheep on the continent currently — much less than the between 150,000 and 200,000 that existed before the 1800’s. —Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024

Two Whales Freed from Life-Threatening Entanglements by Trained Rescue Responders in Hawaii The latest sheep rescue also takes place just months after the Texas Parks and Wildlife shared a video of endangered desert bighorn sheep being airlifted in a relocation effort in December. —Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025

Warming in the Sierra Nevada was expected to decrease snow cover but kill bighorn sheep in avalanches at consistent or increased rates. —Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bighorn sheep

• asleep
• upkeep
• beep
• cheap
• creep
• deep
• heap
• jeep
• keep
• leap
• peep
• reap

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