Gaur
/ɡaʊr/noun
A large wild ox of South and Southeast Asia, also called the Indian bison.
Did you know?The English word was borrowed from Hindi/Marathi gauṛ, ultimately from Sanskrit गौर (gaura), meaning “white, pale, tawny,” a reminder that animal names can preserve ancient color-words long after their original sense fades.
Etymological Timeline
Sanskrit
Sanskrit
gaura
“white, pale, tawny; a light-colored animal or thing”
Early Modern South Asian languages
Hindi/Marathi
gaur
“the Indian bison, named from a word meaning pale or tawny”
18th Century
English
gaur
“a large wild ox of India”
Modern English
English
gaur
“a large wild ox of South and Southeast Asia”