Dictionary

heifer en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈhɛfɚ/
• /ˈhɛfə(ɹ)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English heyfre, hayfre, heyfer, from Old English hēahfore, hēahfru, of disputed origin; see the Old English entry for more discussion.

Meanings

1. A young female cow, (particularly) one over one year old but which has not calved.
   • And the Lord ſpake vnto Moſes and vnto Aaron, ſaying, This is the ordinance of the Law, which the Lord hath commaunded, ſaying, Speak vnto the childꝛen of Iſrael, that they bꝛing thee a red heifer without ſpot, wherein is no blemiſh, and vpon which neuer came yoke. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 19:1–2:
   • Who are these coming to the sacrifice? To what green altar, O mysterious priest, Lead’st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, And all her silken flanks with garlands drest? 1819 May, John Keats, “Ode on a Grecian Urn”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1820, →OCLC, page 115:
   • The breath of the mountain heifer was fragrant as the gales of Sirendiep, by feeding on ſpicy herbs. 1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page iv:
   • We muſt be neat; not neat, but cleanly, Captaine: / And yet the Steere, the Heycfer^([sic]), and the Calfe, / Are all call'd Neat. c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 278:
   • And when the lorries unload their cows / Their hogs, their heifers and sows / In piles of slithering meat 1997, Momus, “My Pervert Doppelganger”, in Ping Pong:
2. (obsolete) A wife.
   • Her, whom I shall choose for my heicfar. 1609 December (first performance), Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Epicoene, or The Silent Woman. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, Act II(please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals), page 549:
3. (derogatory, slang) An unattractive or unpleasant woman.
   • My hand was aching to slap that silly heifer. I told her to take her trifling ass down to Burger King and get herself a job flipping burgers... 2001, Glenda Howard, Cita's World:
   • I have half a mind to marry that heifer, tho' wives are bothersome critters when you have too many of them. 1853, T.C. Haliburton, Sam Slick's Wise Saws, volume II, page 282:
   • Stop your crying, heifer, I don't need all that, I got a job for you, the braided-up pimp is back! 2000, Mystikal, Shake Ya Ass:

Forms

Coordinates

bull · cow · bullock · calf · heiferette

Deriveds

plow with one's heifer · heifer dust · heifer-bud · plough with one's heifer · Mullingar heifer · heiferhood · heifer yearling · heiferette · heiferbud

Translations (117)

fo kvíga (young cow) · mzn تلم (young cow) · mni ꯍꯥꯇꯝ (young cow) · khw منس (young cow) · nl vaars (young cow) · tyv казыра (young cow) · sl telica (young cow) · tr ayı (ugly or objectionable woman) · wo wulu (young cow) · ga bodóg (young cow) · ab ақабла (young cow) · udm кунян (young cow) · syc ܥܶܓܠܬܳܐ (young cow) · it scottona (young cow) · et mullikas (young cow) · eo bovidino (young cow) · ga colann (young cow) · ga collaid (young cow) · pt bezerra (young cow) · nb kvige (young cow) · ki mori (young cow) · sh ју̀ница (young cow) · sco quaig (young cow) · ota دوگه (young cow) · is kvíga (young cow) · la vitula (young cow) · gl xuvenca (young cow) · gd colpach (young cow) · hu üsző (young cow) · syc ܐܰܪܘܢܺܝܬܳܐ (young cow) · ga bearach (young cow) · fr morue (ugly or objectionable woman) · de Kalbe (young cow) · ang hēahfore (young cow) · mhr ушкалаш (young cow) · ga seafaid (young cow) · la iūnix (young cow) · non kvíga (young cow) · cs jalovice (young cow) · sk jalovica (young cow) · de Färse (young cow) · khw أوزيتو (young cow) · mk јуница (young cow) · gl becerra (young cow) · ba тана (young cow) · sc tràila (young cow) · gl vitela (young cow) · tr düve (young cow) · fi hieho (young cow) · es becerra (young cow) · ota طانا (young cow) · mi kūao kau uha (young cow) · sh jùnica (young cow) · sq mëzatore (young cow) · grc δάμαλις (young cow) · az düyə (young cow) · fi lehmä (ugly or objectionable woman) · izh lähtömä (young cow) · mas entawuo (young cow) · cu юница (young cow) · mi hewha (young cow) · eo guno (young cow) · wym kołw (young cow) · ar عِجْلَة (young cow) · kpv кукань (young cow) · pl jałowica (young cow) · bg юни́ца (young cow) · enm heyfre (young cow) · ru уро́дина (ugly or objectionable woman) · pl cielica (young cow) · nrf geniche (young cow) · el δαμαλίδα (young cow) · ro junincă (young cow) · ro juncă (young cow) · pdt Hocklinkj (young cow) · got 𐌺𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍉 (young cow) · kmr nagon (young cow) · es bruja (ugly or objectionable woman) · mhr туна (young cow) · nn kvige (young cow) · gd atharla (young cow) · uk тели́ця (young cow) · ru тёлка (young cow) · mrj туна (young cow) · fr thon (ugly or objectionable woman) · pl jałówka (young cow) · fa تلیسه (young cow) · gag düvä (young cow) · ro vițea (young cow) · pt novilha (young cow) · enm quye (young cow) · es vaquilla (young cow) · as চেউৰী (young cow) · it giovenca (young cow) · fr génisse (young cow) · gd agh (young cow) · pa ਵਹਿੜੀ (young cow) · hy երինջ (young cow) · ru не́тель (young cow) · tr manda (ugly or objectionable woman) · el αγελαδίτσα (young cow) · tr sığır (ugly or objectionable woman) · es adefesio (ugly or objectionable woman) · de Queene (young cow) · da kvie (young cow) · ar عِجْل (young cow) · de Kalbin (young cow) · la vaccula (young cow) · ms heifer (young cow) · tk tüve (young cow) · lv tele (young cow) · sq mështjerrë (young cow) · sv kviga (young cow) · nrf géniche (young cow) · rup giuncã (young cow) · sq viçoke (young cow) · mhr ишаньык (young cow)