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Bovidae

plural noun

Bo·​vi·​dae
ˈbōvəˌdē
: a large family of ruminants containing the true antelopes, oxen, sheep, and goats, distinguished from the deer family by the polycotyledonary placenta, the hollow nondeciduous unbranched horns, and by the nearly universal presence of a gallbladder

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Bov-, Bos, type genus + -idae

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“Bovidae.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bovidae. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.

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