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Glite Dictionary
karakul

karakul

9.9
A sheep breed from Central Asia that people raise for the soft, curly black fur of its young lambs
  • noun
  • /ˈkærəˌkuːl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : karakul
  • Grim faces under rakish karakul hats; row upon row of bayonets and scythes; women in blankets waiting wearily for bread.
  • a karakul hat

Examples

  • Harmon wore a thick knee-length overcoat and a karakul hat, but the cold still struck deep into his bones.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Elisabeth S. Vrba was born in Germany and raised in Namibia on a karakul sheep farm.

  • Elisabeth S. Vrba was born in Germany and raised in Namibia on a karakul sheep farm.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The farmer proudly displayed his herd of karakul sheep, which produced some of the finest wool in the region.

  • Frank had a goatee and a big Russian karakul fur hat.

Synonyms

caracul
vskarakul
  • Specialized
9.9

A strong type of sheep from Central Asia with soft curly lamb fur used for coats

is the same breed but uses an alternate traditional name
broadtail
vskarakul
  • Specialized
9.9

A hardy sheep from Central Asia whose newborn lambs have soft, curly dark fur valued for pelts

focuses more narrowly on the lambs' fur value rather than the adult animal
Persian lamb
vskarakul
8.6

Soft, curly fur from a type of sheep used for coats and hats

is the hardy sheep breed prized for the same lambs' fur

How Hardy

robust
112 3.9
karakul
  • Specialized
9.9
frail
52 4.1

Surface Forms

karakul singular
karakuls plural

Etymology

Karakul comes from Central Asia and is linked to Turkic parts qara 'black' and kul 'lake', a name often used for places there. That's easy to remember because this sheep is famous for the soft, curly, black fur of its newborn lambs, so the 'black' part connects to the animal's valuable hide.