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ibex

American  
[ahy-beks] / ˈaɪ bɛks /

noun

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


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word 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.

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Vocabulary lists containing ibex

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 was out for a trip with her family in the spring, when she noticed two male Ibex standing on their rear legs, fighting.

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

I have deprived the Ibex of a contributor who might possibly have become a very valuable one, and I have gone back upon my word.

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

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