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
Recent Examples on the Web
Keep your eyes open for bighorn sheep in the high passes.
—
Alesandra Dubin, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
Drive through the gate and into 160 acres of pine forest populated by bears, wolves, bison, bighorn sheep, and more, all roaming freely.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025
In addition to the ancient bristlecone pines, there is unique wildlife here, including bighorn sheep, endangered trout, marmots, and a tiny rodent known as a pika.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
Just south of Glacier National Park, a herd of five resident horses shares the aptly named Wild Horse Island State Park with countless bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and mule deer.
—Anna Staropoli, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bighorn sheep
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Alesandra Dubin, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
Drive through the gate and into 160 acres of pine forest populated by bears, wolves, bison, bighorn sheep, and more, all roaming freely.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025
In addition to the ancient bristlecone pines, there is unique wildlife here, including bighorn sheep, endangered trout, marmots, and a tiny rodent known as a pika.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
Just south of Glacier National Park, a herd of five resident horses shares the aptly named Wild Horse Island State Park with countless bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and mule deer.
—Anna Staropoli, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025
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 16 Sep. 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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