Wiktionary

calf

EnglishEdit

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

 
A cow and calf

From Middle English calf, kælf, kelf, from Old English cælf, ċealf; also cognate with German Kalb (“calf”), Dutch kalf (“calf”) and Danish kalv (“calf”), from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz, further etymology unknown[1].

NounEdit

calf (plural calves or (nonstandard) calfs)

  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 deer, elephant, seal, whale or giraffe (also used of some other animals).
  4. A chunk of ice broken from a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg.
    • 1915 (published), 1848 (first written), Elisha Kent Kane, Adrift in the Arctic Ice Pack
      Our swell ceases with this wind, and the floes seem disposed to come together again; but the days of winter have passed by, and the interposing calves prevent the apposition of the edges
  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.
    • 1627, Michael Drayton, Nimphidia, the Court of Faery
      some silly, doating, 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

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)

  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.
Derived 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

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), “*kalbiz-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 278

AnagramsEdit

Middle DutchEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

NounEdit

calf n

  1. calf

InflectionEdit

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

DescendantsEdit

  • Dutch: kalf
  • Limburgish: kalf

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)

  2. calf (cow that has not fully matured)
    • c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.)‎[1], published c. 1410, Apocalips 4:7, page 118v, column 2; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:
      ⁊ þe firſte beeſte .· liyk a lioun / ⁊ þe ſecounde beeſte .· lijk a calf / ⁊ þe þꝛidde beeſte .· hauynge a face as of a man / ⁊ þe fourþe beeſte .· liyk 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 human; and the fourth beast [was] like an eagle flying.
  3. A representation of a calf; something that looks like a calf.
  4. fawn (deer that has not fully matured)
  5. (rare) Veal; the meat of calves.
DescendantsEdit
ReferencesEdit

Etymology 2Edit

From Old Norse kalfi.

Alternative formsEdit

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

calf (plural calves)

  2. calf (part of the leg).
DescendantsEdit
ReferencesEdit

Old DutchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Germanic *kalbaz.

NounEdit

calf n

  1. calf

DescendantsEdit

Further readingEdit

  • “kalf”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

ScotsEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Middle English calf (“young cow”).

NounEdit

calf

  1. Alternative form of cauf (“calf (young cow)”)

Etymology 2Edit

From Middle English caf, caff, kaf, kaff, alternative forms of chaf.

NounEdit

calf

  1. Alternative form of caff
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