cow

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) An adult female of the species Bos taurus, especially one that has calved.
2. (broadly, countable, informal, uncountable) Any member of the species Bos taurus that is not of a bucking breed or fighting breed, regardless of sex or age, including bulls and calves.
3. (uncommon, uncountable) Beef: the meat of cattle as food.
4. (countable, uncommon, uncountable) Any bovines or bovids generally, including yaks, buffalo, etc.
5. (countable, uncountable) A female member of other large species of mammal, including the bovines, moose, whales, seals, hippos, rhinos, manatees, and elephants.
6. (Ireland, UK, countable, derogatory, informal, uncountable) A woman considered unpleasant in some way, particularly one considered nasty, stupid, fat, lazy, or difficult.
7. (countable, uncountable) A chock: a wedge or brake used to stop a machine or car.
8. (US, countable, slang, uncountable) A third-year cadet at West Point.
9. (countable, slang, uncountable) A fish that is very large for its species, such as a large striped bass or large bluefin tuna.

Verb

To intimidate; to daunt the spirits or courage of.

Synonyms

cattle

ox

🐂

bull

cows

intimidate

bullock

frighten

overawe

calf

daunt

heifer

threaten

steer

beef

bovine

terrify

calves

browbeat

bully

moo-cow

scare

😨

startle

affright

alarm

milk cow

appal

buffalo

young cow

dismay

pressure

poll

pressurize

prune

scarecrow

suppress

surpass

terrorize

tyrannize

unnerve

domestic animals

milch-cow

roundbelly cowfish

cowfish

meat

🥩

bully into

domestic cattle

many-spined cow fish

kangaroo bar

roo bar

broadie

Translations

vache

🐮

vaca

🐮

Kuh

🐮

vacca

🐮

vaca

🐮

koe

🐮

mucca

vaca

🐮

vacca

🐮

αγελάδα

inek

🐮

vaca

بقرة

🐮

çêlek

🐮

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kaʊ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: cou

Inherited from Old English: cū

Cognate with Sanskrit: गौ

Cognate with Ancient Greek: βοῦς

Cognate with Persian: گاو

Cognate with Latvian: govs

Cognate with Scots: coo

Cognate with Northern Frisian: ko

Cognate with Western Frisian: ko

Cognate with Dutch: koe

Cognate with Low German: Koh

Cognate with German: Kuh

Cognate with Swedish: ko

Cognate with Norwegian: ku

Cognate with Icelandic: kýr

Cognate with Latin: bōs

Cognate with Armenian: կով

Inherited from Middle English: kyne

Cognate with Middle English: ky

Inherited from Old English: cȳna

Cognate with Norwegian: -

Cognate with Danish: kue

Cognate with Swedish: kuva

Cognate with Icelandic: kúfa

Cognate with Faroese: kúga

In summary

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws
Proto-Germanic *kōz
Proto-West Germanic *kō
Old English cū
Middle English cow
English cow
Inherited from Middle English cow, cou, from Old English cū (“cow”), from Proto-West Germanic *kō, from Proto-Germanic *kōz (“cow”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws (“cow”).
Cognate with Sanskrit गो (go), Ancient Greek βοῦς (boûs), Persian گاو (gâv)), Latvian govs (“cow”), Proto-Slavic *govędo (Serbo-Croatian govedo, Russian говядина (govjadina, “beef”), Scots coo (“cow”), North Frisian ko, kø (“cow”), West Frisian ko (“cow”), Dutch koe (“cow”), Low German Koh, Koo, Kau (“cow”), German Kuh (“cow”), Swedish ko (“cow”), Norwegian ku (“cow”), Icelandic kýr (“cow”), Latin bōs (“ox, bull, cow”) (whence English beef), Armenian կով (kov, “cow”). Doublet of beef.
The plural kine is from Middle English kyne, kyn, kuin, kiin, kien (“cows”), either a double plural of Middle English ky, kye (“cows”), equivalent to modern kye + -en, or inherited from Old English cūna (“cows', of cows”), genitive plural of cū (“cow”).

Sentences

The definition of a black cow varies by region .