pronghorn

noun prong·horn \ ˈprȯŋ-ˌhȯrn , ˈpräŋ- \

Updated on: 5 Apr 2018

Definition of pronghorn

plural pronghorn or pronghorns

: a swift horned ruminant mammal (Antilocapra americana) chiefly of grasslands and deserts of western North America that resembles an antelope — called also pronghorn antelope

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Recent Examples of pronghorn from the Web

Most immediate is the prospect of 3,500 new gas wells planned on federal land at the southern end of the pronghorn’s migratory path.

— jim robbins, New York Times, "Animals Are Losing Their Vagility, or Ability to Roam Freely," 19 Feb. 2018
Riis spent about a decade tracking, in photos, the migrations of elk, mule deer and pronghorn across the Yellowstone region.

— jennifer billock, Smithsonian, "Photos Document Dramatic Wildlife Migrations Across Yellowstone," 25 Oct. 2017
Deer, elk and pronghorn in stages of transformation Lutz’s studio is tucked into one half of a massive pole barn on a flat piece of land outside Lander.

— christine peterson, idahostatesman, "For some, taxidermy is an art: ‘The whole face needs to come together for the look’," 23 Oct. 2017
The desert expanse serves as a migration corridor for mule deer and pronghorn, as well as habitat for imperiled species, such as the sage grouse, hoary bat and flowering White River catseye.

— susan levine, Washington Post, "Meet the nation’s most endangered monuments," 22 Aug. 2017
There are populations of wolves, black and grizzly bears, deer, elk and pronghorn antelope ranging freely, some crossing from nearby Yellowstone Park.

— deena shanker, Bloomberg.com, "Bison Returned From the Brink Just in Time for Climate Change," 31 July 2017
The hills were literally painted in orange, yellow and blue with pronghorns dancing in between.

— mercury news readers, The Mercury News, "April 30 Letters: A simple solution to potential tax reform shortfall," 30 Apr. 2017
This strategy led some animals, like pronghorns, to essentially wrestle (watch a video), whereas others, like sheep, ram their opponents.

— National Geographic, "Bizarre Horns of the Animal Kingdom," 6 Aug. 2016
But people’s suggestions on Twitter include an electrical plug, a trident and a pronghorn.

— margot sanger-katz, New York Times, "Why Republicans Keep Talking About Health Care ‘Prongs’," 16 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pronghorn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of pronghorn

First Known Use of pronghorn

1823

PRONGHORN Defined for English Language Learners

pronghorn

noun

Definition of pronghorn for English Language Learners

: a large animal of western North America that looks like an antelope

PRONGHORN Defined for Kids

pronghorn

noun prong·horn \ ˈprȯŋ-ˌhȯrn \

Definition of pronghorn for Students

: an animal that resembles an antelope and lives mostly in the grasslands and deserts of western North America

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See words that rhyme with pronghorn Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pronghorn

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