onager

[ on-uh-jer ]

noun,plural on·a·gers, on·a·gri [on-uh-grahy]. /ˈɒn əˌgraɪ/.
  1. Also called A·si·at·ic wild ass . a near threatened wild ass, Equus hemionus, inhabiting southwestern Asia and formerly distributed also through the Middle East and eastern Asia: the onager is one of the fastest mammals, able to run, and sometimes exceed, 40 miles (64 km) per hour, and, unlike most donkeys and horses, it has never been domesticated.

  2. an ancient and medieval military catapult for throwing stones.

Origin of onager

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin onager, onagrus “wild ass,” Late Latin also “catapult, siege machine for throwing projectiles,” from Greek ónagros “wild ass,” Late Greek also “catapult, siege engine,” alteration of ónos ágrios “ass of the fields, wild ass”; see acre

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use onager in a sentence

  • Again the ungainly slings groaned, and the pulleys of scorpions and onagers, or frames for flinging stones.

    The Death of the Gods | Dmitri Mrejkowski
  • As to the wall and buildings of the poultry-yard and the onagers stable, the fire had destroyed all.

    The Mysterious Island | Jules Verne
  • The cart might then be driven there, and towards the end of December they tried the onagers for the first time.

    The Mysterious Island | Jules Verne
  • The onagers, already well trained, were ridden by Spilett and Herbert, and were of great use.

    The Mysterious Island | Jules Verne
  • But grass abounded in other parts of the island, and there was no fear of the onagers being obliged to go on short allowance.

    The Mysterious Island | Jules Verne

British Dictionary definitions for onager

onager

/ (ˈɒnədʒə) /


nounplural -gri (-ˌɡraɪ) or -gers
  1. a Persian variety of the wild ass, Equus hemionus: Compare kiang

  2. an ancient war engine for hurling stones

Origin of onager

1
C14: from Late Latin: military engine for stone throwing, from Latin: wild ass, from Greek onagros, from onos ass + agros field

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012