argali

American  

[ahr-guh-lee] / ˈɑr gə li /

noun

plural

argali

1. a wild sheep, Ovis ammon, of Asia, having long, curved horns that typically form an open, outwardly extended spiral: rare or endangered.

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argali British  

/ ˈɑːɡəlɪ /

noun

1. a wild sheep, Ovis ammon, inhabiting semidesert regions in central Asia: family Bovidae, order Artiodactyla. It is the largest of the sheep, having massive horns in the male, which may almost form a circle

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Etymology

Origin of argali

First recorded in 1770–80; from Mongolian: “female mountain sheep”

Example Sentences

Between 2013 and 2021, with at least five co-conspirators, Schubarth imported “parts of” Kyrgyzstan’s large, endangered Marco Polo argali sheep to the U.S., which he then sent to labs to create 165 cloned embryos.

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2024

They then compared it with modern head-butters: muskoxen, argali mountain sheep and Himalayan blue sheep.

From New York Times • Jun. 2, 2022

Although people in the region have long been classified as herders, Taylor’s team discovered an icy killing ground of argali sheep, along with the spears and arrows used to slay them.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 2, 2021

Nine stuffed animal heads -- argali sheep, wild boar, antelope, brown bear -- grace one wall in the foyer.

From Washington Post • Sep. 22, 2010

Between the argali and the antelope, we had provision enough to last us for a week at least; but when that was done, what likelihood was there of our procuring a further supply of either?

From The Desert Home The Adventures of a Lost Family in the Wilderness by Reid, Mayne