calf

¹ American  

[kaf, kahf] / kæf, kɑf /

noun

plural

calves

1. the young of the domestic cow or other bovine animal.

2. the young of certain other mammals, as elephants, seals, and whales.

3. calfskin.

4. Informal. an awkward, silly boy or man.

5. a mass of ice detached from a glacier, iceberg, or floe.

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idioms

1. kill the fatted calf, to prepare an elaborate feast in welcome or celebration.

2. in calf, (of a cow or other animal having calves) pregnant.

calf ² American  

[kaf, kahf] / kæf, kɑf /

noun

plural

calves

1. the fleshy part of the back of the human leg below the knee.

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calf ¹ British  

/ kɑːf /

noun

1. the young of cattle, esp domestic cattle

2. the young of certain other mammals, such as the buffalo, elephant, giraffe, and whale

3. a large piece of floating ice detached from an iceberg, etc

4. to celebrate lavishly, esp as a welcome

5. another name for calfskin

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calf ² British  

/ kɑːf /

noun

1. the thick fleshy part of the back of the leg between the ankle and the knee

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calf More Idioms  

1. see kill the fatted calf; puppy (calf) love.

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Other Word Forms

• calfless adjective
• calflike adjective

Etymology

Origin of calf¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English cealf, calf; cognate with Old Saxon kalf, Old Norse kalfr, Old High German kalb, from Germanic kalboz

Origin of calf²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old Norse kalfi

Example Sentences

She took care of the pigs, chickens, calves, cats, birds, Rowdy, me, and everything else you could think of.

From Literature

In September, he suffered a calf strain, landing him on the injured list.

From Los Angeles Times

Brakeman Taylor Lawrence sat out heats three and four as a precaution having suffered with a calf injury all season, and Hall said their full focus would be on the four-man event.

From BBC

“He told me I had to get my calves stronger if I wanted to be great,” James said, smiling at the thought of those conversations from years ago.

From Los Angeles Times

To Star, to the new calf soon to be born in the herd, to the taste of cool blue juice from the hoopberry press.

From Literature

Related Words

• shin