Word
livestock
Phoneticslive·stock, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫaɪvˌstɑk/
UK/lˈaɪvstɒk/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. farm animals that are kept for use or profit, such as cows, sheep, and pigs. You use this word to talk about the animals as a group rather than naming each one.
n. domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber, and labor. The term functions as a collective noun and typically refers to mammals.
Examples
“The farmer feeds his livestock every morning at dawn.”
“Heavy snow blocked the mountain passes, making it difficult for ranchers to provide enough hay for their livestock.”
“The transition from nomadic herding to settled agriculture allowed for more systematic breeding of livestock, eventually leading to the distinct animal varieties we recognize today.”
Examples
simple
“The farmer feeds his livestock every morning at dawn.”
contextual
“Heavy snow blocked the mountain passes, making it difficult for ranchers to provide enough hay for their livestock.”
complex
“The transition from nomadic herding to settled agriculture allowed for more systematic breeding of livestock, eventually leading to the distinct animal varieties we recognize today.”
Usage
Uncountable collective noun; it does not have a plural form ('livestocks') and is treated as a singular or plural mass depending on regional dialect.
Pitfall
The farmer has many livestocks.
The farmer has a lot of livestock.
Livestock is uncountable and cannot be pluralized with an 's'.
Real-World Examples
“In 2023 and 2024, Mongolian farmers lost more than seven million livestock due to severe summer droughts followed by extremely cold dzud winters.” “That is likely to cause big problems for livestock farmers.” Etymology
From live + stock.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/livestock