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calf

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EnglishEdit

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

 
A cow and calf

From Middle English calf, from Old English cealf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz (compare Dutch kalf, German Kalb, Danish kalv), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷolbʰo (“womb, animal young”), *gʷelbʰ- (compare Ancient Greek (Hesychius) δολφός (dolphós, “womb”), δελφύς (delphús), Avestan 𐬔𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬎𐬎𐬀‏ (garəwa) 'uterus', Sanskrit गर्भ (gárbha) 'womb'), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to swell”).

NounEdit

calf (plural calves)

  1. A young cow or bull.
  2. Leather made of the skin of the calf; especially, a fine, light-coloured leather used in bookbinding.
  3. A young elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals).
  4. A chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Kane to this entry?)
  5. A small island, near a larger island.
    the Calf of Man
  6. A cabless railroad engine.
  7. (informal, dated) An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt.
    • Drayton
      some silly, doting, brainless calf
SynonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked
See alsoEdit

Etymology 2Edit

 
Calf of the leg

Old Norse kalfi, possibly derived from the same Germanic root as calf (“young cow”) (above).

NounEdit

calf (plural calves)

  1. (anatomy) The back of the leg below the knee.
  2. The muscle in the back of the leg below the knee.
    • 1988, Steve Holman, "Christian Conquers Columbus", Ironman, 47 (6): 28-34.
      Sure, his calves are a little weak, but the rest of his physique is so overwhelming, he should place high.


TranslationsEdit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

AnagramsEdit

Middle DutchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Dutch kalf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz.

NounEdit

calf n

  1. calf

InflectionEdit

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

DescendantsEdit

Further readingEdit

  • “calf”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • “calf”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929
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