ibex
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing ibex
Novel Study: I Am Malala
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Turtle of Michigan
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Spain’s Ibex 35 tumbles 5.9% at the open as banks in the index slide, with Santander falling 2.7%.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026
She caught this picture of Alpine Ibex in the mountains near Italy’s border with France.
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
And it has been growing ever since landing a $27.6 million investment from a group of backers including Ibex Investors, Toyota AI Ventures, Blue Collective, Launch Capital, and Maniv Mobility.
From The Verge • Feb. 16, 2021
"Did ye lave young Radhurst to die in the Ibex cabin, an' stole his gold?"
From The Frontiersman A Tale of the Yukon by Cody, H. A. (Hiram Alfred)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
