noun
Asiatic wild sheep with exceptionally large horns; sometimes considered a variety of the argali (or Ovis ammon)
• Syn: ↑Marco Polo's sheep, ↑Ovis poli
• Hypernyms: ↑wild sheep
• Member Holonyms: ↑Ovis, ↑genus Ovis
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\\ˈmärˌkōˈpōˌlō-, ˈmȧˌk-\ noun or marco polo's sheepUsage: usually capitalized M&P
Etymology: after Marco Polo died 1324? Italian traveler
: an Asiatic wild sheep with exceptionally large horns that is considered to be a variety (Ovis ammon poli) of the argali or to constitute a distinct species (O. poli)
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Marco Polo sheep /märˈkō pōˈlō shēp/
noun
A type of Asian wild sheep with large horns
ORIGIN: Marco Polo (1254–1324), Venetian explorer
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Marco Polo sheep,
a large wild sheep, a variety of argali, native to the plateaus of central Asia; Pamir sheep; Tian-shan sheep.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.