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Synonyms

cattle

American  
[kat-l] / ˈkæt l /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

  1. bovine animals, especially domesticated members of the genus Bos.

  2. Bible. such animals together with other domesticated quadrupeds, as horses, swine, etc.

  3. Disparaging. human beings, especially in a large, unruly crowd.

cattle British  
/ ˈkætəl /

noun

  1. bovid mammals of the tribe Bovini (bovines), esp those of the genus Bos

  2. Also called: domestic cattle.  any domesticated bovine mammals, esp those of the species Bos taurus (domestic ox)

"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

Other Word Forms

  • cattleless adjective

Etymology

Origin of cattle

1175–1225; Middle English catel < Old North French: (personal) property < Medieval Latin capitāle wealth; capital 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A recent New York Times report found that the suspected hideout in Ecuador was actually a rural cattle and dairy farm, and residents reported harsh treatment by Colombian forces during the raid.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Darrell George Crofts was born Aug. 14, 1938, in Cisco, Texas, where his father was a cattle rancher.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Unlike most cattle, she has lived a long life in a complex and stimulating environment.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

The red ink is mounting for companies in the business of slaughtering cattle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

It was a bull from a cattle family we still have today.

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.