noun
cob
An adult male swan.
The cob swims beside the female swan across the pond.
Etymology
Cob had older uses for a rounded lump and for a stout or substantial creature. Its application to a male swan belongs to that broader group of animal names, although the precise naming step is uncertain.
More examples
- An adult male swan is called a cob.
- The cob spreads his wings as we approach the nest.
- Two cobs defend separate stretches of the river.
Forms
cob · cobs
Similar words
- swan
- Names either sex, rather than specifically an adult male.