noun
cattle
KAT-uhl/ˈkætl/
Cows and bulls kept as farm animals.
Three cattle stand and graze together in a fenced pasture.
Etymology
The ancestor meant property generally, not just animals. The meaning narrowed through movable property to livestock, treating farm animals as a form of wealth.
In context
The UK had made use of a scheme of selective breeding to create cattle with the ability to produce more milk coupled with a high protein diet.
More examples
- The farmer raises cattle for beef.
- These cattle supply milk to a local dairy.
- A veterinarian checks the cattle before winter.
Forms
cattle
Similar words
- livestock
- Includes other farm animals, such as sheep and pigs.
- bovines
- Can include wild relatives, such as bison, as well.