calf
Contents
EnglishEdit
PronunciationEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Middle English calf, kælf, kelf, from Old English cælf, ċealf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz, further etymology unknown[1].
NounEdit
calf (plural calves)
- A young cow or bull.
- Leather made of the skin of the calf; especially, a fine, light-coloured leather used in bookbinding.
- A young elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals).
- A chunk of ice broken from a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Kane to this entry?)
- A small island, near a larger island.
- the Calf of Man
- A cabless railroad engine.
- (informal, dated) An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt.
- Drayton
- some silly, doting, brainless calf
- Drayton
SynonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
young cow or bull
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young elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals)
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chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg
- 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
From Middle English calf, kalf, from Old Norse kalfi, possibly derived from the same Germanic root as English calf (“young cow”) (above). Cognate with Icelandic kálfi (“calf of the leg”).
NounEdit
calf (plural calves)
- (anatomy) The back of the leg below the knee.
- 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.
- 1988, Steve Holman, "Christian Conquers Columbus", Ironman, 47 (6): 28-34.
TranslationsEdit
anatomy: back of the leg below the knee
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muscle in the back of the leg below the knee
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- 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
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), “*kalbiz-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 278
AnagramsEdit
Middle DutchEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old Dutch calf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz.
NounEdit
calf n
InflectionEdit
This noun needs an inflection-table template.
DescendantsEdit
Further readingEdit
Middle EnglishEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Old English cælf, Anglian form of ċealf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz.
Alternative formsEdit
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
calf (plural calver(e) or calveren or calves)
- A young cow; a bovine that has not fully matured.
- A representation of a calf; something that looks like a calf.
- A deer which hasn't fully grown.
- (rare, biblical) The calf in Revelation around the throne of God.
- a. 1382, John Wycliffe, “Apocalips 4:7”, in Wycliffe's Bible:
- And the firſte beeſte lijk a lyoun; and the ſecounde beeſte lijk a calf; and the thridde beeſte hauynge a face as of a man; and the fourthe beeſte lijk an egle fleynge.
- And the first beast [was] like a lion; and the second beast [was] like a calf; and the third beast had a face like a person; and the fourth beast [was] like an eagle flying.
- (rare) Veal; the meat of calves.
DescendantsEdit
ReferencesEdit
- “calf (n.(1))” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-17.
Etymology 2Edit
Alternative formsEdit
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
calf (plural calves)
- The calf (part of the leg).
DescendantsEdit
ReferencesEdit
- “calf (n.(2))” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-17.
Old DutchEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Proto-Germanic *kalbaz.
NounEdit
calf n
DescendantsEdit
Further readingEdit
- “kalf”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012