oryx
2
8.9
- noun
- /ˈɔrɪks/
- South African
:
orix
- At the safari park, visitors were thrilled to see a herd of oryx grazing peacefully on the plains.
Examples
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One, two, three... four, five... six adult oryx.
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Young oryx.
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Its walls and ceilings are covered in amazing pictures of animals, oryx, bulls, horses, stags.
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The most coveted shields were made of oryx hide, which is reputed to be tough enough to withstand sword cuts.
Academic text (2006) -
The oryx is known for its impressive long, straight horns, which make it easily recognizable in the wild.
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The Arabian oryx had almost disappeared from the wild but has been successfully reintroduced in protected areas.
Synonyms
28
2.9
An animal with long legs and curved horns that runs fast in Africa and Asia
A large African antelope with long straight upright horns
Large antelopes with long straight horns that live in hot dry African and Arabian regions
Compounds
- Specialized
Large antelopes with long straight horns that live in hot dry African and Arabian regions
- Specialized
A large antelope like a deer from southern Africa with long straight horns and a black stripe on its side
- Specialized
A very large African antelope like a deer with short, slightly curved horns that lives in herds
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word oryx comes from an old Greek word óryx that meant both 'antelope' and 'pickaxe', because people thought the animal's long, straight horns looked like a pickaxe. So the name helps you remember this large antelope by its sharp, upright horns.