cattle
UK: ˈkæt(ə)l | US: ˈkæt(ə)l
n. Domesticated bovine animals (e.g., cows, bulls, or oxen) collectively, especially as livestock.
n. (Archaic) Personal property or wealth, originally including livestock.
The word "cattle" traces back to Old French catel (meaning "property" or "wealth"), derived from Latin capitale ("property" or "capital"). Originally, it referred to movable property, particularly livestock, distinguishing it from real estate. Over time, its meaning narrowed to specifically denote bovine animals. The morpheme cat preserves the Old French root, while -le functions as a noun-forming suffix. This evolution reflects the historical importance of livestock as a primary form of wealth in agrarian societies.
The farmer raised cattle for both milk and meat.
During the drought, many herds of cattle were relocated to greener pastures.
In medieval times, cattle were a measure of a family's wealth.
Modern ranches use technology to monitor the health of their cattle.
The cattle lowed softly as they grazed in the field.