buffalo

[ buhf-uh-loh ]

/ ˈbʌf əˌloʊ /

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noun, plural buf·fa·loes, buf·fa·los, (especially collectively) buf·fa·lo.

any of several large wild oxen of the family Bovidae.Compare bison, Cape buffalo, water buffalo.

buffalo robe.

a buffalofish.

a shuffling tap-dance step.

verb (used with object), buf·fa·loed, buf·fa·lo·ing.Informal.

to puzzle or baffle; confuse; mystify: He was buffaloed by the problem.

to impress or intimidate by a display of power, importance, etc.: The older boys buffaloed him.

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Origin of buffalo

1535–45, Americanism; earlier bufalo<Portuguese (now bufaro) <Late Latin būfalus, variant of Latin būbalusbubal

Other definitions for buffalo (2 of 2)

Buffalo

[ buhf-uh-loh ]

/ ˈbʌf əˌloʊ /

noun

a port in W New York, on Lake Erie.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use buffalo in a sentence

Buffalo’s airport, which is bigger, is also just an hour away.
Nationals have a new Class AAA affiliate in Rochester Red Wings|Jesse Dougherty|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Zack Moss has his name called on a third of Buffalo’s red-zone carries.
The 2020 rookie class is taking the NFL by storm. Here’s what that means for the future.|Neil Greenberg|November 18, 2020|Washington Post
In March, Cuban American artist Geandy Pavón traveled from New Jersey to Buffalo to visit his girlfriend, Imara Lopez Boada.
For this artist and his girlfriend, life in lockdown became a creative opportunity|Mark Jenkins|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
The bigger concern might be the pass rush, although there have been a few signs of promise, including three sacks in Week 8 against San Francisco and seven against Buffalo.
Drew Brees still rules the NFC South, and more NFL Week 9 takeaways|John Clayton|November 10, 2020|Washington Post

Newton lost a fumble eight days earlier in a loss at Buffalo, with the Patriots driving toward a potential tying field goal or winning touchdown.
The Patriots’ season isn’t fixed, but at least they avoided losing to the Jets|Mark Maske|November 10, 2020|Washington Post
Seems funny to think of him having the biggest Indians buffaloed, but he's done it, and he's buffaloed the white folks, too.
Mystery Ranch|Arthur Chapman
Just because Jack's got the name of bein' a bad man and handy with his gun, he's got the whole town buffaloed.
The Long Dim Trail|Forrestine C. Hooker
However, these which are reported over in this area have me buffaloed.
Bill Bruce on Forest Patrol|Henry Harley Arnold
The Big Four had us bluffed, bulldozed, buffaloed, licked to a whisper.
Fore!|Charles Emmett Van Loan
They've buffaloed General Bean, and fooled him completely—and our whole army!
The Boy Scout Automobilists|Robert Maitland

British Dictionary definitions for buffalo (1 of 2)

buffalo

/ (ˈbʌfəˌləʊ) /

noun plural -loes or -lo

Also called: Cape buffalo a member of the cattle tribe, Syncerus caffer, mostly found in game reserves in southern and eastern Africa and having upward-curving horns

short for water buffalo

Also called: bison US and Canadian a member of the cattle tribe, Bison bison, formerly widely distributed over the prairies of W North America but now confined to reserves and parks, with a massive head, shaggy forequarters, and a humped backRelated adjective: bubaline

verb (tr) US and Canadian informal

(often passive) to confuse

to intimidate

Word Origin for buffalo

C16: from Italian bufalo, from Late Latin būfalus, alteration of Latin būbalus; see bubal

British Dictionary definitions for buffalo (2 of 2)

Buffalo

/ (ˈbʌfəˌləʊ) /

noun

a port in W New York State, at the E end of Lake Erie. Pop: 285 018 (2003 est)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for buffalo

Buffalo

City in western New York, on Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

notes for Buffalo

Niagara Falls is northwest of Buffalo.

buffalo

Origin of buffalo

Other definitions for buffalo (2 of 2)

Words related to buffalo

How to use buffalo in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for buffalo (1 of 2)

Word Origin for buffalo

British Dictionary definitions for buffalo (2 of 2)

Cultural definitions for buffalo

notes for Buffalo