beef cattle
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of beef cattle
An Americanism dating back to 1750–60
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.
America’s beef cattle are typically raised on ranches where they graze on open pastures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026
As a result, the U.S. beef cattle inventory shrank to its lowest level since 1962, a problem that restricts beef supplies for years.
From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2026
U.S. beef cattle inventory fell 1% over the past year to 27.6 million heads, according to a Jan. 1 estimate from the National Agricultural Statistics Services.
From Barron's ● Feb. 2, 2026
The cows grow more slowly - typically taking three years to reach a full weight before they are slaughtered, compared with just 15 months for conventional beef cattle.
From BBC ● May 29, 2025
Observations on several flocks of sheep and a herd of beef cattle are indicative of the poisoning and death that threatened livestock as well.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
