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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Spanning 71,000 acres, Custer State Park has plenty of room to share with its free-ranging bison herd and wildlife like elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats.
—
Dave Parfitt, USA Today, 30 May 2026
As the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies and the world's second largest dark sky preserve, Jasper National Park boasts an extensive trail network and the chance to spot wildlife like black and grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and more.
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2026
The roadway carries more than a million vehicles each month and runs through a key population of bighorn sheep, Caltrans said.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
On Mother's Day, the zoo shared a post highlighting its baby orangutan, bighorn sheep, wallaby and more.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bighorn sheep
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Dave Parfitt, USA Today, 30 May 2026
As the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies and the world's second largest dark sky preserve, Jasper National Park boasts an extensive trail network and the chance to spot wildlife like black and grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and more.
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2026
The roadway carries more than a million vehicles each month and runs through a key population of bighorn sheep, Caltrans said.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
On Mother's Day, the zoo shared a post highlighting its baby orangutan, bighorn sheep, wallaby and more.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bighorn sheep
Cite this Entry
“Bighorn sheep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bighorn%20sheep. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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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