cattle
Americannoun
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bovine animals, especially domesticated members of the genus Bos.
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Bible. such animals together with other domesticated quadrupeds, as horses, swine, etc.
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Disparaging. human beings, especially in a large, unruly crowd.
noun
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bovid mammals of the tribe Bovini (bovines), esp those of the genus Bos
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Also called: domestic cattle. any domesticated bovine mammals, esp those of the species Bos taurus (domestic ox)
Other Word Forms
- cattleless adjective
Etymology
Origin of cattle
1175–1225; Middle English catel < Old North French: (personal) property < Medieval Latin capitāle wealth; capital 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The yurts had been left behind by nomads who’d taken their sheep, goats or cattle somewhere else this time of year.
While cattle dominate Ireland's mythological traditions, goats tend to appear in local customs, place names, and seasonal practices.
From Science Daily
The species was identified from several skull fragments eroding out of rock at Noonkanbah cattle station, east of the remote Kimberly town of Derby.
From Science Daily
"We are desperate," said Salah, whose two children, out of school, survive only thanks to the milk from his cattle.
From Barron's
Moorish horse breeds were crossed with native stock to create a sturdy and agile beast for managing cattle.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
