cattle
Americannoun
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bovine animals, especially domesticated members of the genus Bos.
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Bible. such animals together with other domesticated quadrupeds, as horses, swine, etc.
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Disparaging. human beings, especially in a large, unruly crowd.
noun
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bovid mammals of the tribe Bovini (bovines), esp those of the genus Bos
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Also called: domestic cattle. any domesticated bovine mammals, esp those of the species Bos taurus (domestic ox)
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
Born June 20, 1931, in Calumet, Mich., Tolkan was the son of a cattle dealer — Ralph M. Tolkan.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Unlike most cattle, she has lived a long life in a complex and stimulating environment.
From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026
The largest beef processor in the U.S. by volume is among companies trudging through a nationwide cattle shortage that’s driving up prices.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
We all slept out under the stars in the cattle camp—no bed, just a cowhide spread on bare soil.
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.
