DCHP-2

cabri [see note below] The origin is uncertain, but the term probably comes from an Indian word, perhaps through Canadian French, the form undoubtedly being influenced by French capri kid, for the animal was sometimes called a goat by voyageurs and early writers. The problem is discussed in American Speech, Apr. 1941, 125-6 and Feb. 1944, 19-20. DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

• 1 n.

  the pronghorn, Antilocapra americana, of the southern prairies.

  See also: antelope (def. 1)  

  • c1797  (1819)  Those who go up by land . . . have plenty of time to hunt, buffalo, moose deer, caberie. . . .
  • 1793  (1933)  [. . . the following animals are natives of [the Assiniboine region]. . . Elks, Red Deer, Cabeniers [?] of various kinds. . . .]
  • 1801  (1897)  An Indian brought me a large cabbri, which had four inches of fat on the rump.
  • 1859  (1875)  The cabree is . . . in appearance something between a deer, an antelope, and a goat.
  • 1882  They killed several buffalo above the crossing, also some cabri or antelope.
  • 1958  Cabri is the Indian word for antelope, and the town was so named because of the presence of these animals in the district

• 2 n.

  the skin of the pronghorn antelope.

  • c1797  (1819)  Their leggings are also made of dressed leather, those for the young folks are made of wolf, caberie and other skins of a fine quality, which they dress as white and pliable as chamois.
  • 1872  (1883)  I had slept well; the cabri sack was a very Ajax among roosts; it defied the elements.

• 3 n.

  the meat of the pronghorn antelope.

  • 1827  (1912)  An Indian comes to our camp with a few fish . . . and a small piece of cabris which we exchange for a piece of dried meat.