ibex

American  

[ahy-beks] / ˈaɪ bɛks /

noun

plural

ibexes, ibices,

plural

ibex

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

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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

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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.

Example Sentences

During an early ascent, Lubin Godin found an Alpine ibex resting above a sea of clouds.

From BBC • Oct. 14, 2025

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

When morning came, we lingered in bright sunshine above the clouds, watching ibex grazing nearby.

From The Guardian • Mar. 28, 2020

In addition to the “surf,” they found plenty of “turf,” such as remains from horses, deer, ibex, aurochs, porcupine and tortoise.

From New York Times • Mar. 26, 2020

“I held it in my hands! I looked at the drawings, page by page. I remember each one: the lakes, the mountains, the ibex, that funny-looking mountain squirrel.”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood