calf en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- käf (Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
- (US) audio
- kăf (Canada, General-American)
- /kɐːf/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
- /kɑːf/ (Northern-England, Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
- /kaf/ (Ireland, Scotland)
- /kaːf/ (Wales)
- /kæf/ (Canada, General-American)
- /kɛəf/ New York, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore
- /keɪf/ (dialectal, obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English calf, from Anglian Old English cælf, calf (West Saxon ċealf), from Proto-West Germanic *kalb, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz, further etymology unknown. Cognates * Scots caff (“calf”) * Scots calf (“calf”) * Scots cauf (“calf”) * Scots cawf (“calf”) * North Frisian Kualev (“calf”) * North Frisian kualew (“calf”) * North Frisian kuulew (“calf”) * Saterland Frisian Koolich (“calf”) * West Frisian keal (“calf”) * German Kalb (“calf”) * Luxembourgish Kallef (“calf”) * Limburgish kalf (“calf”) * Dutch kalf (“calf”) * Vilamovian kołb (“calf”) * Vilamovian kołp (“calf”) * Faroese kálvur (“calf”) * Icelandic kálfur (“calf”) * Danish kalv (“calf”) * Norwegian Bokmål kalv (“calf”) * Norwegian Nynorsk kalv (“calf”) * Swedish kalv (“calf”)
Meanings
-
A young cow or bull of any bovid, such as domestic cattle or buffalo.
And Goldenhorns calved. A great day in the wilderness, a joy and a delight. They gave her flour-wash, and Isak himself saw to it there was no stint of flour, though he had carried it all the way himself, on his back. And there lay a pretty calf, a beauty, red-flanked like her mother, and comically bewildered at the miracle of coming into the world. In a couple of years she would be having calves of her own.
1917, Knut Hamsun, Growth of the Soil, Book 1, Ch.3, at p.22
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Leather made of the skin of domestic calves; especially, a fine, light-coloured leather used in bookbinding.
We find now, that instead of leather made from sheep, calf, goat, and pig-skins, each having, when finished, its own characteristic surface, that sheepskins are got up to look like calf, morocco, or pigskin; that calf is grained to resemble morocco or so polished and fattened as to have but little character left; while goatskins are grained in any number of ways, and pigskin is often grained like levant morocco. So clever are some of these imitations that it takes a skilled expert to identify a leather when it is on a book. . . I am inclined to consider that calf, as a sound leather, has been manufactured out of existence, for it is unusual to find a 19th century calf binding of more than fifteen years old that does not show signs of decay.
1900 Douglas Cockerell: Leather for Bookbinding. Journal of the Society of Arts, March 30 1900, p. 406
- The young of various animals, especially elephant, giraffe, reindeer, seal, or whale (also indiscriminately used of other animals).
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A mass of ice broken from a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg.
1915 (published), 1848 (first written), Elisha Kent Kane, Adrift in the Arctic Ice Pack Our swell ceases with this wind, and the floes seem disposed to come together again; but the days of winter have passed by, and the interposing calves prevent the apposition of the edges
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A small island, near a larger island.
Situated in the north of the Irish Sea and to the south-west of the isle of Man, the Calf of Man is ideally placed on the bird migration routes over the western side of the British Isles. Its importance for migrating and breeding birds had been recognised long before the observatory was established in 1959. . . Visitors can explore the Calf as day visitors or can stay in the hostel accommodation. . .
2010 Kate Hawkins Calf of Man. In: Bird Observatories of Britain and Ireland, ed Mike Archer, Mark Grantham, et al. →ISBN (pages unnumbered)
- A cabless railroad engine.
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(dated, informal) An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt.
some silly, doating, brainless calf
1627, Michaell [i.e., Michael] Drayton, “Nimphidia. The Court of Fayrie.”, in The Battaile of Agincourt. […], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for William Lee, […], →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| calfs | Number=Plur | nonstandard | lexicographic |
| calves | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
calfless · sea calf · in-calf · law calf · kill the fatted calf · bull calf · killcalf · calf eyes · mooncalf · calflick · heifer calf · golden calf · elephant calf · seal calf · calfhide · tree calf · moon-calf · box calf · calfling · calfdozer · in calf · haircalf · calf love · Russia calf · with calf · reindeer calf · bull-calf · bum calf · cow-calf · calfy · calfflesh · calfskin · rolling calf · calfbound · cow calf · seacalf · calfish · divinity calf · water buffalo calf · calflike · sea-calf · calfhood
Relateds
Synonyms
cowling · cowlet · bullet · moggy
Translations (284)
mr वासरू (young cow or bull) · fr chiot (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ga gamhain (young cow or bull) · ks وَژھٕر (young cow or bull) · ota بوزاغو (young cow or bull) · sa गोवत्स (young cow or bull) · km កូនគោ (young cow or bull) · fr baleineau (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · scn viteḍḍu (young cow or bull) · ckb گوێرەکە (young cow or bull) · egy bH:z-E9 (young cow or bull) · es ballenata (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · eo bovido (young cow or bull) · isd kixaw (young cow or bull) · rm vadè (young cow or bull) · mi miha (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ps سخی (young cow or bull) · ruq vițǫl (young cow or bull) · de Kalb (young cow or bull) · es elefantito (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ta கன்று (young cow or bull) · vo bubül (young cow or bull) · gl xuvenco (young cow or bull) · de Bullenkalb (young cow or bull) · om jaabi (young cow or bull) · pt novilha (young cow or bull) · fr baleinelle (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ood wisilo (young cow or bull) · da kalv (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · de Kuhkalb (young cow or bull) · la vitellus (young cow or bull) · gl pucho (young cow or bull) · hu kölyök (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · dtp tananak (young cow or bull) · se gálbi (young cow or bull) · sw ndama (chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg) · vec vedèl (young cow or bull) · pt novilho (young cow or bull) · fi poikanen (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · gl cuxo (young cow or bull) · sv kalv (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · nb kalv (small island beside another one) · nds-de Kalf (young cow or bull) · sei noiiyo (young cow or bull) · otk 𐰉𐰆𐰕𐰍𐰆 (young cow or bull) · lv teļš (young cow or bull) · pt bezerro (young cow or bull) · cv пӑру (young cow or bull) · ru телёнок (young cow or bull) · da kalv (chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg) · rup yitsãl (young cow or bull) · be цяля́ (young cow or bull) · is kálfur (young cow or bull) · zza nal (young cow or bull) · es cervatilla (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · kmr golik (young cow or bull) · akk 𒀫 (young cow or bull) · yi קאַלב (young cow or bull) · uk теля́ (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · sq viç (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ca vedella (young cow or bull) · pt terneiro (young cow or bull) · ne बाच्छी (young cow or bull) · ug موزاي (young cow or bull) · tr dana (young cow or bull) · es témpano (chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg) · ky музоо (young cow or bull) · oc vedèl (young cow or bull) · es becerra (young cow or bull) · el μοσχάρι (young cow or bull) · sw ndama (young cow or bull) · fr veau (young cow or bull) · arz عجل (young cow or bull) · ga lao (young cow or bull) · sw ndama (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ug تايىنچا (young cow or bull) · pi vaccha (young cow or bull) · tpi pikinini bulmakau (young cow or bull) · syc ܐܰܪܘܳܢܳܐ (young cow or bull) · br leue (young cow or bull) · lij vitélla (young cow or bull) · nb kalv (chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg) · ru тюленёнок (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ne बाच्छो (young cow or bull) · gl tenreiro (young cow or bull) · pt filhote (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · eu zekor (young cow or bull) · mt għoġol (young cow or bull) · ug توپاق (young cow or bull) · esh جینگَ (young cow or bull) · hu borjú (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ca vedell (young cow or bull) · yo ẹgbọ̀rọ̀ (young cow or bull) · es becerro (young cow or bull) · es cría (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · da kalv (small island beside another one) · sga lóeg (young cow or bull) · ota بوزاغو (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · yo ọmọ mààlúù (young cow or bull) · io bovyunulo (young cow or bull) · kk балтыр (young cow or bull) · io bovyuno (young cow or bull) · lki گوەر (young cow or bull) · ssy ruga (young cow or bull) · kn ಕರು (young cow or bull) · bg еленче (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · tl guya (young cow or bull) · bg слонче (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · uk теля́ (young cow or bull) · ar دَغْفَل (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · sl tele (young cow or bull) · sa वत्स (young cow or bull) · io bovyunino (young cow or bull) · hu jégtömb (chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg) · gsw Chalp (young cow or bull) · chr ᏩᎧᎠᎩᎾ (young cow or bull) · cu тельць (young cow or bull) · ta கன்று (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ru теле́ц (young cow or bull) · cdo 牛囝 (young cow or bull) · la vitulus (young cow or bull) · oc vedèla (young cow or bull) · ast xata (young cow or bull) · ang ċealf (young cow or bull) · sq viç (young cow or bull) · kk бұзау (young cow or bull) · mn тугал (young cow or bull) · luo nyaroya (young cow or bull) · sga dartaid (young cow or bull) · lv telēns (young cow or bull) · ar حُوَار (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · fr baleinon (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · fr éléphanteau (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · tr buzağı (young cow or bull) · ks وۆژھ (young cow or bull) · ur بچھیا (young cow or bull) · izh vasikka (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · nl jong (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · pt bezerra (young cow or bull) · sh tele (young cow or bull) · an vediello (young cow or bull) · cmn 牛犢 /牛犊 (young cow or bull) · pdt Kaulf (young cow or bull) · es elefantita (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · jje 송애기 (young cow or bull) · gd laogh (young cow or bull) · scn jencu (young cow or bull) · az buzov (young cow or bull) · cmn 小牛 (young cow or bull) · vo sugabubül (unweaned) (young cow or bull) · frr kualew (young cow or bull) · ce эса (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · mt erħa (young cow or bull) · vec vedèƚo (young cow or bull) · he עגל (young cow or bull) · lij vitéllo (young cow or bull) · az dana (young cow or bull) · es ternero (young cow or bull) · da kalv (young cow or bull) · zza gol (diq) (young cow or bull) · kw leugh (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ro vițel (young cow or bull) · ota مالاق (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · nn kalv (chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg) · es polluelo (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · sh теле (young cow or bull) · luy emosi (young cow or bull) · fur vidiel (young cow or bull) · gl xato (young cow or bull) · ja 子牛 (young cow or bull) · ro pui (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · uk теля́тко (young cow or bull) · cmn 犢 /犊 (young cow or bull) · nn kalv (young cow or bull) · pt cria (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · frr kuulew (young cow or bull) · vi bê (young cow or bull) · nn kalv (small island beside another one) · nl kalf (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · gl becerro (young cow or bull) · it vitello (young cow or bull) · wo séll wi (young cow or bull) · pl cielę (young cow or bull) · syc ܥܶܓܠܳܐ (young cow or bull) · nrf vieau (young cow or bull) · eo virbovido (young cow or bull) · niq moi (young cow or bull) · ms anak lembu (young cow or bull) · hy հորթ (young cow or bull) · gl vitela (young cow or bull) · mk теле (young cow or bull) · so weyl (young cow or bull) · zdj mna-mɓe (young cow or bull) · pt terneira (young cow or bull) · sux 𒀫 (young cow or bull) · sco cauf (young cow or bull) · sv kalv (young cow or bull) · eo bovidino (young cow or bull) · ko 송아지 (young cow or bull) · mn тугал (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · he עֵגֶל (young cow or bull) · my နွားကလေး (young cow or bull) · an vetiello (young cow or bull) · ba быҙау (young cow or bull) · ru слонёнок (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · sk teľa (young cow or bull) · nn kalv (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · hi बछड़ा (young cow or bull) · alt бозу (young cow or bull) · esh دوگیَه (young cow or bull) · izh muko (young cow or bull) · nb kalv (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · es vaquilla (young cow or bull) · tn namane (young cow or bull) · la vitula (young cow or bull) · vec vedeło (young cow or bull) · fr blanchon (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · de Kalb (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · da unge (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · cop ⲙⲁⲥⲉ (young cow or bull) · ltg teļš (young cow or bull) · fo kálvur (young cow or bull) · mi kāwhe (young cow or bull) · nb kalv (young cow or bull) · es ballenato (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · gl cucho (young cow or bull) · fy keal (young cow or bull) · kw leugh (young cow or bull) · et vasikas (young cow or bull) · bho बछड़ा (young cow or bull) · cim büssalle (young cow or bull) · gv lheiy (young cow or bull) · ak nantwie ba (young cow or bull) · ro vițea (young cow or bull) · rue теля́ (young cow or bull) · grc μόσχος (young cow or bull) · ceb nati (young cow or bull) · uga 𐎓𐎂𐎍 (young cow or bull) · nl kalf (young cow or bull) · yue 牛仔 (young cow or bull) · aa ruga (young cow or bull) · fi vasikka (young cow or bull) · bg китче (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · es polluela (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · dsb śele (young cow or bull) · rif ayenduz (young cow or bull) · kn ಮರಿ (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · es cervatillo (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · fr velle (young cow or bull) · hy ձագ (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · ce эса (young cow or bull) · egy r:n-i-i-E1 (young cow or bull) · ast xatu (young cow or bull) · mnw ကောန်ဂၠဴ (young cow or bull) · bg тюленче (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · fa گوساله (young cow or bull) · af kalf (young cow or bull) · ota كوشك (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · egy ms-s-E3 (young cow or bull) · scn jencu (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · inh ӏаса (young cow or bull) · be цялё (young cow or bull) · lt veršiukas (young cow or bull) · ka ხბო (young cow or bull) · gl camoniño (young cow or bull) · es ternera (young cow or bull) · cy llo (young cow or bull) · cmn 仔 (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · sdh گوور (young cow or bull) · ru китёнок (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · la vitella (young cow or bull) · es alevín (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · izh lehmävasikka (young cow or bull) · ckb گوێلِک (young cow or bull) · pms vailet (young cow or bull) · fr éléphantelle (young deer, elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)) · hu borjú (young cow or bull) · ar عِجْل (young cow or bull) · hsb ćelo (young cow or bull) · cs tele (young cow or bull) · ta கன்றுக்குட்டி (young cow or bull) · lb Kallef (young cow or bull) · mg zanak'omby (young cow or bull) · bg теле́ (young cow or bull)