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Holstein

[ hohl-stahyn, -steen; for 2 also German hohl-shtahyn ]
/ ˈhoʊl staɪn, -stin; for 2 also German ˈhoʊlˌʃtaɪn /
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noun

Also called Hol·stein-Frie·sian [hohl-stahyn-free-zhuh n, -steen-] /ˈhoʊl staɪnˈfri ʒən, -stin-/. one of a breed of black-and-white dairy cattle, raised originally in North Holland and Friesland, that yields large quantities of milk having a low content of butterfat.
a region in N Germany, at the base of the peninsula of Jutland: a former duchy.
Compare Schleswig-Holstein.

Origin of Holstein

First recorded in 1860–65
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for holstein

British Dictionary definitions for holstein (1 of 2)

Holstein

1
/ (ˈhəʊlstaɪn) /

noun

the usual US and Canadian name for Friesian 1

British Dictionary definitions for holstein (2 of 2)

Holstein

2
/ (German ˈhɔlʃtain) /

noun

a region of N Germany, in S Schleswig-Holstein: in early times a German duchy of Saxony; became a duchy of Denmark in 1474; finally incorporated into Prussia in 1866
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

Word Origin and History for holstein

Holstein

breed of cattle, 1865; so called because originally raised in nearby Friesland. The place name is literally "woodland settlers," from the roots of German Holz "wood" (see holt) and siedeln "to settle," altered by influence of Stein "stone." Since 15c. it has been united with the Duchy of Schleswig.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper