Illustration of bighorn sheep
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.
Examples of bighorn sheep in a Sentence
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There are mountains, deserts, swamps, coral reefs, and islands, plus a wide array of wildlife — from the elk and pronghorn in Grand Teton National Park to the tortoises and bighorn sheep in Joshua Tree.
—
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 29 Jan. 2025
Fifty rare plant and animal species are native to the region, including the desert bighorn sheep and the Chuckwalla lizard.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025
The eye-candy route through the Gallatin Canyon is full of wildlife like eagles and deer, elk, and bighorn sheep herds.
—Wendy Altschuler, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Climate & Environment Chuckwalla National Monument would protect swath of California desert and preserve a sacred land
April 28, 2024
Besides its namesake, the Chuckwalla lizard, the area is home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, kangaroo rats, burrowing owls and jackrabbits.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
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Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 29 Jan. 2025
Fifty rare plant and animal species are native to the region, including the desert bighorn sheep and the Chuckwalla lizard.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025
The eye-candy route through the Gallatin Canyon is full of wildlife like eagles and deer, elk, and bighorn sheep herds.
—Wendy Altschuler, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Climate & Environment Chuckwalla National Monument would protect swath of California desert and preserve a sacred land
April 28, 2024
Besides its namesake, the Chuckwalla lizard, the area is home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, kangaroo rats, burrowing owls and jackrabbits.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bighorn sheep
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Cite this Entry
“Bighorn sheep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bighorn%20sheep. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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