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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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
The monument’s name honors the robust Chuckwalla lizards native to the area, which also supports bighorn sheep, desert tortoises and other wildlife.
—Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 3 Jan. 2025
At nearly 800,000 acres, Joshua Tree National Park features a whole host of amazing wonders, including Joshua tree (or yucca) forests, enormous rock formations, a cholla cactus garden, bighorn sheep, and tortoises.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2025
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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
The monument’s name honors the robust Chuckwalla lizards native to the area, which also supports bighorn sheep, desert tortoises and other wildlife.
—Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 3 Jan. 2025
At nearly 800,000 acres, Joshua Tree National Park features a whole host of amazing wonders, including Joshua tree (or yucca) forests, enormous rock formations, a cholla cactus garden, bighorn sheep, and tortoises.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 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 31 Jan. 2025.
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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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