aurochs

American  

[awr-oks] / ˈɔr ɒks /

noun

• aurochs
  plural

1. a large, black European wild ox, Bos primigenius: extinct since 1627.

2. (not used scientifically) the European bison.

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aurochs British  

/ ˈɔːrɒks /

noun

1. Also called: urus. a recently extinct member of the cattle tribe, Bos primigenius, that inhabited forests in N Africa, Europe, and SW Asia. It had long horns and is thought to be one of the ancestors of modern cattle

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• aurochs
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of aurochs

1760–70; < German, variant (now obsolete) of Auerochs, Middle High German ūrochse, Old High German ūrohso, equivalent to ūr (cognate with Old English ūr bison) + ohso ox

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aurochs

"It's from something bigger than a cow, from a mammoth, Irish elk and aurochs to more unusual stuff like wild horse or rhino," he told the BBC.

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

The engravings, which depict animals such as camels, ibex, equids, gazelles, and aurochs, include 130 highly detailed and life-sized figures, some reaching up to 3 meters long and more than 2 meters tall.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2025

Sinding, who has extracted ancient DNA from Pleistocene wolves, woolly rhinoceroses and aurochs, was surprised and excited to hear that Colossal Biosciences planned to re-create the dodo.

From Scientific American ● Jan. 31, 2023

The techniques that permitted the transformation of aurochs and wild sheep into beef and lamb have a hint of wholesomeness about them.

From Slate ● Dec. 24, 2022

And we know we can use it to draw the great aurochs and the dead man on the root cellar walls.

From "The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle" by Leslie Connor

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