tarpan

American  

[tahr-pan] / tɑrˈpæn /

noun

1. a small, dun-colored wild horse chiefly of southern Russia, having a flowing mane and tail: extinct since the early 20th century but somewhat restored by selective breeding of mixed-breed domestic horses, and sustained in zoos.

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tarpan British  

/ ˈtɑːpæn /

noun

1. a European wild horse, Equus caballus gomelini, common in prehistoric times but now extinct

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Etymology

Origin of tarpan

1835–45; < Russian tarpán, said to be < Kazakh or Kirghiz

Example Sentences

There was a time when it was called a “tarpan,” but pretty much everybody agrees that it’s not a tarpan.

From Scientific American • Feb. 3, 2014

Only after a few months do they change to grey and develop the zebralike tarpan striping on their legs.

From Time Magazine Archive

When black and red foals turn to grey, or duns become bays, they are probably imitating their tarpan ancestors.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Przewalski horses have few characteristics of the tarpan, so Dr. Heck brought mares from Iceland and Gotland.

From Time Magazine Archive

But the tarpan horses were especially susceptible to panic—probably because they are such short animals, and like children, they can’t look grown men in the eye.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri