heifer

American  

[hef-er] / ˈhɛf ər /

noun

heifers plural

1. a young cow over one year old that has not produced a calf.

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heifer British  

/ ˈhɛfə /

noun

1. a young cow

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• heifers
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

Find ways to demonstrate their impact: $20 might buy a flock of chickens for a family through Heifer International , for example, or feed a shelter pet for a few weeks.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 17, 2022

He and my mother also volunteered their farm for what is now Heifer International from 1944 to 1948.

From Washington Post • May 15, 2018

Fiola added that the region’s soil and climate has spawned the growth of Boordy, Catoctin Breeze Vineyard, Big Cork Vineyard and Red Heifer Winery in Washington County, among others.

From Washington Times • Dec. 17, 2016

U.S. nonprofit Heifer International, which works with farming families in Haiti’s south, said the storm-struck areas of the country were scenes not only of human tragedy but also economic disaster.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 6, 2016

In his passport he was called Mayor Mofsovitch Heifer.

From Jewish Children by Berman, Hannah