calf

¹ American  

[kaf, kahf] / kæf, kɑf /

noun

calves plural

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

calves plural

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

Explanation

The word calf can mean either a baby cow or bull, or the area of the back of your leg between your ankle and knee. Cattle are not the only animals whose babies are called calves. You can use the word to mean a baby whale, baby elephant, camel, bison, elk, giraffe, gnu, hippopotamus, moose, ox, reindeer, rhinoceros, and yak. If a large piece of ice breaks off of a glacier or iceberg, well that's a calf too! If you want to strengthen your calves, doing heel raises while holding a calf is an interesting way to go about it.

Example Sentences

The most significant is captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who missed the New Zealand ODIs with a "minor" calf tear and has now been ruled out of the subsequent T20 series.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

Earlier this week, England's World Cup preparations were dealt a blow with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt's calf injury ruling her out of this series and the following three matches against India.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

After missing so much time in recent years with injuries to his back, his knee, his wrist and his calf, he’s just happy to be contributing again.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

On a recent weekday, the calf ranch and dairy farm were visible from a public road.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

He was raising a calf by hand on skim milk.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Related Words

• shin