onager

[ on-uh-jer ]
/ ˈɒn ə dʒər /

noun, plural on·a·gri [on-uh-grahy] /ˈɒn əˌgraɪ/, on·a·gers.

a wild ass, Equus hemionus, of southwestern Asia.
an ancient and medieval military catapult for throwing stones.

Origin of onager

1300–50; Middle English < Late Latin: machine for throwing projectiles, Latin onager, onagrus wild ass < Greek ónagros (in both senses), alteration of ónos ágrios ass of the fields, wild ass (see acre)

Words nearby onager

on-the-record, on-the-scene, on-the-spot, on-trend, ona, onager, onagraceous, onanism, onassis, onassis, jacqueline kennedy, onbeat

Example sentences from the Web for onagri

  • The onagri hurled stones of sixty pounds weight to a maximum distance of two hundred and fifty paces.

    Annals of a Fortress |E. Viollet-le-Duc

  • The square towers were not covered by roofs but by platforms, so as to allow catapults or onagri to be placed upon them.

    Annals of a Fortress |E. Viollet-le-Duc

  • Two onagri sometimes hurled stones at the workmen; but they, well shielded and always in motion, were seldom struck.

    Annals of a Fortress |E. Viollet-le-Duc

British Dictionary definitions for onagri

onager
/ (ˈɒnədʒə) /

noun plural -gri (-ˌɡraɪ) or -gers

a Persian variety of the wild ass, Equus hemionus Compare kiang
an ancient war engine for hurling stones

Word Origin for onager

C14: from Late Latin: military engine for stone throwing, from Latin: wild ass, from Greek onagros, from onos ass + agros field