ibex

American  

[ahy-beks] / ˈaɪ bɛks /

noun

plural

ibexes, ibices,

plural

ibex

1. any of several wild goats of the genus Capra, inhabiting mountainous regions of Eurasia and North Africa, having long, recurved horns.

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ibex British  

/ ˈaɪbɛks /

noun

1. any of three wild goats, Capra ibex, C. caucasica, or C. pyrenaica, of mountainous regions of Europe, Asia, and North Africa, having large backward-curving horns

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Etymology

Origin of ibex

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1600–10

Explanation

An ibex is a wild mountain goat with long, curved horns. If you visit the European Alps or the northwestern Himalayas, you might be lucky enough to see an ibex. Ibex is a Latin word, probably borrowed from an older language such as Iberian or Aquitanian. Several species of goats fall into this category, including the Ethiopian, Spanish, and Siberian ibex varieties. All of these animals weigh more than 200 pounds, live up to 20 years, and are distinguished by the male ibex's backwards-curving horns. If you live in North America, you're most likely to encounter an ibex at the zoo or on an exotic species ranch.

Example Sentences

Spain’s Ibex 35 tumbled 5.9% at the open as banks in the index slid, with Santander falling 2.7%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Alpine Ibex have recovered well after nearly disappearing from the area in the early 1800s.

From NewsForKids.net • Oct. 20, 2022

The application, called the Galen platform, and developed by medical analytics firm Ibex, digitally checks slides taken from biopsies of suspected prostate cancer patients.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2021

Germany’s Dax dropped 1.5%, France’s CAC fell 1.6% and Spain’s Ibex lost 1.45%.

From The Guardian • Aug. 19, 2021

"I know a great many people who are literary, including the editor of the Ibex," she said.

From The Survivor by Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips)