heifer
Americannoun
-
heifers
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of heifer
First recorded before 900; Middle English hayfre, heighfer, Old English hēa(h)f(o)re; of uncertain origin; perhaps equivalent to hēah “high” + -fore (perhaps akin to Greek póris “heifer”); see also high ( def. )
Explanation
A heifer is a young cow. If you work on a farm, you might be tempted to adopt the smallest heifer as your pet, based on cuteness alone. Heifers are female cows who have not yet given birth to a calf. Farmers can raise heifers for dairy or for meat. In the 1830s, heifer, which is pronounced "HEFF-er," was first used as slang for "woman" or "girl." Since then, it took on the meaning of a female who is obese. It is very rude to single people out because of the way they look and so heifer should never be used.
Vocabulary lists containing heifer
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Mythology
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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.
See Examples For:
He had already lost a heifer with weak lungs and feared future reproductive problems.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
The heifer has now been returned home, and is said to be "fit and well".
From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2024
His brother, David Workman, killed in a fall off a cliff as he rode a mule in the dark in search of a lost heifer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2024
Back home, he rose before the sun that Saturday to help his daughter load a 1,000-pound heifer named Iris into a cattle trailer.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 2, 2022
She said the heifer was very pretty and would Zeus please make her a present of it.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Because ranchers faced feed costs that consumed the value of their livestock, they sold off their herds or accelerated the slaughter of cows and heifers, creating a temporary surplus that compromised future supply.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2025
The bull and three heifers arrived fit and healthy at Calcourt Farms in Wernllwyd, Powys.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2024
The team started with a group of 20 Holstein dairy heifers ranging from three to six months old, who had previous experience in the cattle chute area and with human handling.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2024
The number of heifers, or young female cows, in U.S. feedlots as of Oct.
From Reuters ● Nov. 10, 2023
The horn and hoof showdown was less a showdown than a show: steers and heifers, sheep and goats, even dogs and cats displayed and judged in tents around the fairgrounds.
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
