livestock

American  

[lahyv-stok] / ˈlaɪvˌstɒk /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. the horses, cattle, sheep, and other useful animals kept or raised on a farm or ranch.

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livestock British  

/ ˈlaɪvˌstɒk /

noun

1. (functioning as singular or plural) cattle, horses, poultry, and similar animals kept for domestic use but not as pets, esp on a farm or ranch

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Etymology

Origin of livestock

First recorded in 1650–60; live ² + stock

Example Sentences

At Hothfield Heathlands, the highland cows had been used as working livestock animals to graze on the grass and help to manage the reserve.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Producers say the resulting fall in the livestock population and milk production is threatening feta, one of Greece's premier exports.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Their stand-in renditions spared livestock and human attendants from sacrifice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

David Bowles, the organisation's head of public affairs, said that was "putting wild animals, pets and livestock at risk, while rural communities face intimidation and anti-social behaviour."

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

In general, societies that engaged in intense exchanges of crops, livestock, and technologies related to food production were more likely to become involved in other exchanges as well.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• herd
• oxen