cowcatcher

[ kou-kach-er ]

noun
  1. a triangular frame at the front of a locomotive, especially a steam locomotive, designed for clearing the track of obstructions.

Origin of cowcatcher

1
An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; cow1 + catcher

Words Nearby cowcatcher

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use cowcatcher in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cowcatcher

cowcatcher

/ (ˈkaʊˌkætʃə) /


noun
  1. US and Canadian a metal frame on the front of a locomotive to clear the track of animals or other obstructions

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012