calve

Meaning

1. (intransitive) To give birth to a calf.
2. (intransitive) To assist in a cow’s giving birth to a calf.
3. (transitive) To give birth to (a calf).
4. (especially, figuratively, intransitive) To shed a large piece, e.g. an iceberg or a smaller block of ice (coming off an iceberg).
5. (especially, figuratively, intransitive) To break off.
6. (especially, figuratively, transitive) To shed (a large piece, e.g. an iceberg); to set loose (a mass of ice), e.g. a block of ice (coming off an iceberg).

Synonyms

yean

foal

have young

break up

give birth to

break

break down

break off

breed

bring forth

engender

fall apart

fawn

fracture

generate

give birth

lay

litter

nark

originate

procreate

shear

sire

snitch

whelp

crock up

be delivered of a young

bear

🐻

drop a litter

bear out

beget

blab

born

🐣

Translations

kalben

parir

vêler

kalven

buzağılamak

parir

mettre bas

figliare

afkalven

κομματιάζω

θρυμματίζω

γεννώ αγελάδα

xaiar

agneler

🐑

donar a llum

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kɑːv/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: calven

Inherited from Old English: *calfian

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: koolvje

Cognate with Dutch: kalven

Cognate with German: kalben

Cognate with Swedish: kalva

Cognate with Icelandic: kálfa

In summary

From Middle English calven, from Old English *calfian, cealfian, from Proto-West Germanic *kalbōn, from Proto-Germanic *kalbōną (“to calve”), from *kalbaz (“calf”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian koolvje, Dutch kalven, German Low German kalven, German kalben, Swedish kalva, Icelandic kálfa.