calf

UK: kɑːf | US: kæf

Definition

  1. n. the young of a cow or other large mammal (e.g., cattle, elephants)

  2. n. the fleshy back part of the human leg below the knee

Structure

No data yet.

Etymology

The word "calf" has two distinct origins:

  1. For the animal: Derived from Old English cealf, related to Dutch kalf and German Kalb, all meaning "young cow." This traces back to Proto-Germanic kalbaz.
  2. For the leg part: Borrowed from Old Norse kálfi, likely referring to the rounded, plump shape resembling a young animal. The dual meanings arose independently but converged in Modern English due to phonetic similarity.
Examples

  1. The farmer fed the calf with fresh milk.

  2. She pulled a muscle in her calf while running.

  3. Elephant calves stay close to their mothers for years.

  4. His calf muscles ached after hiking the steep trail.

  5. The newborn calf wobbled on its unsteady legs.