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
That’s not counting the park’s roster of wildlife, from black bears and mountain lions to owls, pronghorns, and bighorn sheep.
—
Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 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
In 2019, desert bighorn sheep in West Texas were hit by a pneumonia outbreak linked to the pathogen Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, native desert bighorn sheep numbers dropped from about 1,500 in 2019 to fewer than 500 by 2024, with the most recent TPWD surveys in 2025 recording approximately 730 animals statewide.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bighorn sheep
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 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
In 2019, desert bighorn sheep in West Texas were hit by a pneumonia outbreak linked to the pathogen Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, native desert bighorn sheep numbers dropped from about 1,500 in 2019 to fewer than 500 by 2024, with the most recent TPWD surveys in 2025 recording approximately 730 animals statewide.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 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 24 May. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
