calf

¹

[kaf, kahf]

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.

calf

²

[kaf, kahf]

noun

plural

calves 

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

calf

¹

/ 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

calf

²

/ kɑːf /

noun

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

Other Word Forms

• calfless adjective
• calflike adjective

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of calf¹

Old English cealf; related to Old Norse kālfr, Gothic kalbō, Old High German kalba

Origin of calf²

C14: from Old Norse kalfi

Idioms and Phrases

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.

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

Example Sentences

“If you don’t know how to run them they will trash your quads and your calves.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But it is thought that young calves are particularly vulnerable when they are being weaned, and when the immune-boosting antibodies from the mother's milk decline.

Read more on BBC

After rushing to create cohesion at midseason, Doncic, whose Lakers debut was slowed by a lingering calf injury, said in August he looked forward to getting a whole preseason to build chemistry with his teammates.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“When looking at the calf of the back plant leg, you can see the muscle sort of ‘jump’ which is indicative of a complete tear of the Achilles,” Ginader said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

On Friday, she returned to the stadium where she suffered Olympic heartbreak four years ago, when her medal ambitions were ruined by a calf injury sustained during the 200m.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• shin