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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of argali

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

Example Sentences

This ultimately resulted in one Marco Polo argali male, a species that can reach 300 pounds, and which does not belong in Montana.

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2024

As part of the plea deal, Schubert agreed to quarantine any other sheep containing Marco Polo argali genetics and any bighorn sheep that were harvested from the wild.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 13, 2024

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

From New York Times • Jun. 2, 2022

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

From Washington Post • Sep. 22, 2010

This true argali must not be confounded with the North-African wild sheep, called the bearded argali and known as the arni, the Algerian moufflon, and the Barbary sheep.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 2 Amiel to Atrauli by Various