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⇱ calf - WordReference.com Dictionary of English


calf

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈkɑːf/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/kæf/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(kaf, käf )

Inflections of 'calf' (n): npl: calves

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
calf1 /kæf/USA pronunciation   n., pl. calves (kavz).
  1. Zoology[countable] the young of the domestic cow or other cowlike animal.
  2. Zoology[countable] the young of certain other mammals, such as the elephant, seal, and whale.
  3. Clothing[uncountable] calfskin.

calf2 /kæf/USA pronunciation   n. [countable], pl. calves (kavz).
  1. Anatomythe fleshy part of the back of the human leg below the knee.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
calf1  (kaf, käf ),USA pronunciation n., pl. calves 
    (kavz, kävz).USA pronunciation 
  1. Zoologythe young of the domestic cow or other bovine animal.
  2. Zoologythe young of certain other mammals, as the elephant, seal, and whale.
  3. Clothingcalfskin leather.
  4. Informal Termsan awkward, silly boy or man.
  5. Geographya mass of ice detached from a glacier, iceberg, or floe.
  6. Animal Husbandry, Idioms in calf, (of a cow or other animal having calves) pregnant.
  7. Idioms kill the fatted calf, to prepare an elaborate feast in welcome or celebration.
  • bef. 900; Middle English; Old English cealf, calf; cognate with Old Saxon kalf, Old Norse kalfr, Old High German kalb
calfless, adj. 
calflike′, adj. 

calf2  (kaf, käf ),USA pronunciation n., pl. calves 
    (kavz, kävz).USA pronunciation 
  1. the fleshy part of the back of the human leg below the knee.
  • Old Norse kalfi; akin to calf1
  • Middle English 1275–1325

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
calf /kɑːf/ n ( pl calves)
  1. the young of cattle, esp domestic cattle
  2. the young of certain other mammals, such as the buffalo, elephant, giraffe, and whale
  3. a large piece of floating ice detached from an iceberg, etc
  4. kill the fatted calfto celebrate lavishly, esp as a welcome
  5. another name for calfskin
Etymology: Old English cealf; related to Old Norse kālfr, Gothic kalbō, Old High German kalba
calf /kɑːf/ n ( pl calves)
  1. the thick fleshy part of the back of the leg between the ankle and the knee
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old Norse kalfi
'calf' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: a [baby, heifer, newborn, bull] calf, [elephant, whale, deer] calves, The calves are [playing, running, frolicking] in the field., more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "calf" in the title:

(Since) I have given a cow, I will give a calf-in English
a calf left out of the herd
adding one more calf to the herd
bind my works in calf
Calf - the lower part of your leg?
calf is broken
Cramp in the calf -- In which sense do you use this phrase?
frying your calf
"Here I'm birthing a calf."
his court-appointed bellowed like a calf in the moonlight
I’ll wring his calf’s head off his body with these hands, Dick!
In for a calf, in for a cow
Kick in the calf?
other side <from where> she had put her calf.
plurial F,FE->VES exceptions [calf / calves]
The new-born calf <comes><is coming> skipping to its dam.
took a nick to his right calf
Where does a baby calf come from
Where does the calf come out of her Mommy
Which part of the mommy cow did the baby calf come from?

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