Illustration of pronghorn
pronghorn
noun
prong·horn
ˈprȯŋ-ˌhȯrn 
ˈpräŋ-
variants
or less commonly pronghorn antelope
plural pronghorn or pronghorns also pronghorn antelope or pronghorn antelopes
: a swift horned ruminant mammal (Antilocapra americana) chiefly of grasslands and deserts of western North America that has a slender lean build and horns that in males grow to 10-16 inches (25-41 cm) long and have an additional forward-facing prong and in females grow to 1-2 inches (2-5 cm) long and lack a prong
Note: Although the pronghorn is sometimes informally called the pronghorn antelope or less commonly the American antelope, it belongs to a different family than true antelope and is the only living species of its family (Antilocapridae).
Examples of pronghorn in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In contrast to these animals, New Mexico’s pronghorns prefer to use overpasses to tackle getting from one side of the highway to another.
—
Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
States like Wyoming and Colorado are using maps of deer, elk, and pronghorn migrations to tweak locations of oil and gas development or potentially even modify subdivisions.
—Christine Peterson, Vox, 23 Dec. 2024
In a single year, market hunters in Bozeman, Mont. shipped out the body parts of about 7,700 elk, 22,000 deer, 12,000 pronghorns, 200 bighorn sheep, 1,680 wolves, 520 coyotes, and 225 bears at the time.
—Dan Flores, Time, 29 May 2025
Species like Wyoming’s pronghorn antelope and mule deer are particularly affected.
—Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
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Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
States like Wyoming and Colorado are using maps of deer, elk, and pronghorn migrations to tweak locations of oil and gas development or potentially even modify subdivisions.
—Christine Peterson, Vox, 23 Dec. 2024
In a single year, market hunters in Bozeman, Mont. shipped out the body parts of about 7,700 elk, 22,000 deer, 12,000 pronghorns, 200 bighorn sheep, 1,680 wolves, 520 coyotes, and 225 bears at the time.
—Dan Flores, Time, 29 May 2025
Species like Wyoming’s pronghorn antelope and mule deer are particularly affected.
—Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pronghorn
Cite this Entry
“Pronghorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pronghorn. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pronghorn
noun
prong·horn
ˈprȯŋ-ˌhȯ(ə)rn
ˈpräŋ-
plural pronghorn or pronghorns
: a cud-chewing horned mammal of treeless parts of western North America resembling an antelope
called also pronghorn antelope
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