cattle

[kat-l]

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. bovine animals, especially domesticated members of the genus Bos.

2. Bible.,  such animals together with other domesticated quadrupeds, as horses, swine, etc.

3. Disparaging.,  human beings, especially in a large, unruly crowd.

cattle

/ ˈkætəl /

noun

1. bovid mammals of the tribe Bovini (bovines), esp those of the genus Bos

2. Also called: domestic cattle. any domesticated bovine mammals, esp those of the species Bos taurus (domestic ox)

Other Word Forms

• cattleless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cattle¹

1175–1225; Middle English catel < Old North French: (personal) property < Medieval Latin capitāle wealth; capital ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cattle¹

C13: from Old Northern French catel, Old French chatel _chattel

Example Sentences

The former cattle ranches, one known as the “Hershey Ranch” and the other as the “Carothers Ranch,” include grasslands, oak woodlands and dark evergreen forests.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A conservationist, Malone bought up cattle ranches and became one of the largest private landowners in the U.S.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Their plans include bringing in large herbivores including ponies, hardy cattle and eventually even bison to graze the land naturally, and there are hopes pine martens, beavers and golden eagles could recolonise the landscape.

Read more on BBC

Public attention to the H5N1 outbreak grew in early 2024, when veterinarians discovered H5N1 spreading through dairy herds in Texas and New Mexico, the first confirmed avian flu cases in cattle anywhere in the world.

Read more on Barron's

Cue the cattle jokes, as U.S. airlines focused on keeping costs low and counted on business travel, with its rarely discounted tickets bought by companies, as a money maker.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• herd 
• oxen