ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cattle

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈkætəɫ// UK //kˈætəl// cat·tle Archaic Slang Vulgar

n. large farm animals like cows and bulls that people keep for their meat or milk.

n. large ruminant animals with horns and cloven hoofs, domesticated for meat or dairy production.


SIMPLE

The farmer moves the cattle to a new field.

CONTEXTUAL

The rancher spent the entire morning herding the cattle toward the valley for the winter season.

COMPLEX

Modern agricultural practices have significantly increased the efficiency of raising cattle, though environmental concerns regarding methane emissions continue to spark international debate.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English catel, from Anglo-Norman catel (“personal property”), from Old Northern French (compare French cheptel, Old French chetel, chatel, also English chattel) from Medieval Latin capitāle, from Latin capitālis (“of the head”) (whence also capital, from caput (“head”) + -alis (“-al”)). For the sense evolution, compare pecuniary and fee. Also compare Russian поголо́вье (pogolóvʹje, “total number of livestock”) from Russian голова́ (golová, “head”). Doublet of capital and chattel.

Usage

A plural collective noun that takes a plural verb; it has no singular form and cannot be used with specific numbers like 'three cattle'.

Pitfall

There are many cattles on the farm.There is a lot of cattle on the farm.Cattle is already a collective plural and does not take an 's'.

Idioms2 entries

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