Barbary sheep

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

Bar′bary sheep′, 

1. Mammals aoudad.

• 1895–1900

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sheep /ʃip/   n. [countable] , pl. sheep. 

1. Mammals a mammal that eats grass, grows a woolly fleece on its back and sides, and is closely related to goats:
   Sheep are grown for their wool and meat.
2. a meek, unimaginative person, or one who is easily led.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sheep  (shēp), n., pl. sheep. 

1. Mammals any of numerous ruminant mammals of the genus Ovis, of the family Bovidae, closely related to the goats, esp. O. aries, bred in a number of domesticated varieties.
2. Clothing leather made from the skin of these animals.
3. a meek, unimaginative, or easily led person.
4. separate the sheep from the goats, to separate good people from bad or those intended for a specific end from unqualified people.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English (north) scēp; cognate with Dutch schaap, German Schaf 

sheep′less, adj. 
sheep′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sheep / ʃiːp/ noun (sheep)

1. any of various bovid mammals of the genus Ovis and related genera, esp O. aries (domestic sheep), having transversely ribbed horns and a narrow face. There are many breeds of domestic sheep, raised for their wool and for meat
2. Barbary sheep ⇒
   another name for aoudad
3. a meek or timid person, esp one without initiative
4. separate the sheep from the goats ⇒ to pick out the members of any group who are superior in some respects

Etymology: Old English sceap; related to Old Frisian skēp, Old Saxon scāp, Old High German scāf

ˈsheepˌlike adjective