onager

[ on-uh-jer ]

noun

, plural on·a·gers, on·a·gri [on, -, uh, -grahy].

1. Also called A·si·at·ic wild ass. a near threatened wild ass, Equus hemionus, inhabiting southwestern Asia and formerly distributed also through the Middle East and eastern Asia: the onager is one of the fastest mammals, able to run, and sometimes exceed, 40 miles (64 km) per hour, and, unlike most donkeys and horses, it has never been domesticated.
2. an ancient and medieval military catapult for throwing stones.

onager

/ ˈɒnədʒə /

noun

1. a Persian variety of the wild ass, Equus hemionus Compare kiang
2. an ancient war engine for hurling stones

Word History and Origins

Origin of onager¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin onager, onagrus “wild ass,” Late Latin also “catapult, siege machine for throwing projectiles,” from Greek ónagros “wild ass,” Late Greek also “catapult, siege engine,” alteration of ónos ágrios “ass of the fields, wild ass”; acre

Word History and Origins

Origin of onager¹

C14: from Late Latin: military engine for stone throwing, from Latin: wild ass, from Greek onagros, from onos ass + agros field

Example Sentences

We then loaded the onager with the acorns, and moved homeward.

From Project Gutenberg

The onager, or wild ass, is not striped like the zebra, and is not near so elegant in figure.

From Project Gutenberg

The vinea and testudo, the catapult onager and balista, were as well known in the tenth century as in the first.

From Project Gutenberg

This is supposed to be of the same pattern which is called an "Onager" in the Latin books.

From Project Gutenberg

The wild ass and onager roamed in small herds between the Balikh and the Tigris.

From Project Gutenberg