beef

American  

[beef] / bif /

noun

plural

beeves, beefs

1. the flesh of a cow, steer, or bull raised and killed for its meat.

2. an adult cow, steer, or bull raised for its meat.

3. Informal.

   1. brawn; muscular strength.

   2. strength; power.

   3. weight, as of a person.

   4. human flesh.

4. Slang.

   1. a complaint.

   2. an argument or dispute.

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verb (used without object)

1. Slang. to complain; grumble.

verb phrase

1. beef up

   1. to add strength, numbers, force, etc., to; strengthen.

      During the riots, the nighttime patrol force was beefed up with volunteers.

   2. to increase or add to.

      to beef up our fringe benefits.

beef British  

/ biːf /

noun

1. the flesh of various bovine animals, esp the cow, when killed for eating

2. an adult ox, bull, cow, etc, reared for its meat

3. informal human flesh, esp when muscular

4. a complaint

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verb

1. slang (intr) to complain, esp repeatedly

   he was beefing about his tax

2. informal to strengthen; reinforce

beef Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing beef

• where's the beef

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Other Word Forms

• beefless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of beef

First recorded in 1250–1300; 1885–90 beef for def. 5; Middle English, from Anglo-French beof, Old French boef, from Latin bov- (stem of bōs ) “ox, cow”; akin to cow ¹

Explanation

Beef is meat from a cow. It's also a word for a complaint. If you have a beef with someone, you’re not sharing a steak, you have a gripe. Just don’t beef to a cow; her problems are worse. Beef is a type of meat from cattle. If you've ever had a hamburger, you've had beef. The word beef comes from the Old French word buef, which became the word for basically, cow meat. Beef is to cow as pork is to pig or mutton is to sheep. On the other hand, if you have a beef with someone, you have a complaint. Beefing is expressing such feelings.

Example Sentences

As part of its strategy to beef up its pipeline, Pfizer agreed to acquire weight-loss drug startup Metsera last year in a deal that could be valued at more than $10 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

“In the beef industry, the big four processors control over 85% of the beef-processing market,” Blanche said at a press conference on Monday.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

The company’s profits were driven by its chicken business, which is benefiting from strong demand for nuggets and wings as beef prices hit record levels.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

This would come when meat processors are already struggling with losses in the beef business due to record high cattle prices.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

Percy brought her the plate of roast beef, and she wolfed it down.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• meat