Plural of gaur, which is a large wild ox found in Southeast Asia with a dark coat and curved horns.
From Hindi 'gaur,' the native name for the Indian bison (Bos gaurus). The word entered English in the 18th century through colonial encounters in India.
Gaurs are so massive—weighing up to 1,500 pounds—that tigers actually avoid hunting them. The word traveled from Hindi into English during the British colonization of India, becoming one of thousands of animal names borrowed into English through exploration.
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