bovine

1 of 2

adjective

bo·​vine ˈbō-ˌvīn How to pronounce bovine (audio)
-ˌvēn
1
: of, relating to, or resembling bovines and especially the ox or cow
a bovine disease
2
: having qualities (such as placidity or dullness) characteristic of oxen or cows
had a stupid, bovine expression on his face
bovinely adverb
bovinity noun

bovine

2 of 2

noun

biology : any of a subfamily (Bovinae) of bovids including oxen, bison, buffalo, and their close relatives

Did you know?

Bovine comes from the Latin word for "cow", though the biological family called the Bovidae actually includes not only cows and oxen but also goats, sheep, bison, and buffalo. So bovine is often used technically, when discussing "bovine diseases", "bovine anatomy", and so on. It can also describe a human personality, though it can be a rather unkind way to describe someone. When Hera, the wife of Zeus, is called "cow-eyed", though, it's definitely a compliment, and Zeus fairly melts when she turns those big bovine eyes on him.

Examples of bovine in a Sentence

Adjective She stared at us with a stupid, bovine expression.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The soft gel is made from bovine gelatin, so these capsules wouldn’t be appropriate for someone who doesn’t eat cow products. Willow Jarosh, Ms, Rd, Health, 22 Aug. 2023 Complete amino acid sequence of bovine thymosin beta-4: a thymic hormone that induces terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase activity in thymocyte populations. The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Aug. 2023 The story of Punchy the bull – the bovine creature found roaming the streets of Cleveland – got a lot stranger Friday. Laura Johnston, cleveland, 17 July 2023 This high-quality product contains bovine colostrum, which is the first milk produced by cows after giving birth. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2023 Pure Encapsulations Colostrum is derived from bovine milk and is known for its immune-boosting properties. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2023 Naturally, there's also a bovine version of the new heavy-duty ZR2. Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 14 Apr. 2023 There’s a lot of excitement about new evidence that a food supplement of red algae could reduce bovine methane by over 80%, and big funding is going to startups that are working on turning the idea into practice. Brian Kateman, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023 Oz and his spouse also own between $1.5 million and $6 million shares in the fertility clinic network Prelude Fertility, and between $500,000 and $1 million in shares of Pantheryx, a biotechnology company that specializes in bovine colostrum products. Bysoo Rin Kim Andlucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2022
Noun
Wearing gloves while field dressing deer is a good way to prevent catching bovine tuberculosis. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 29 Feb. 2024 Most colostrum supplements on the market are sourced from bovine (cow) colostrum, but they can be sourced from other mammalian milk as well. Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 13 Feb. 2024 The grave also contained ribs and bones of four other horses, a dog skull, and bovine remains that may have been offerings of food. Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024 Research indicates that bovine colostrum intake could be beneficial to the health of adult humans, but more robust evidence is required to support this. Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 13 Feb. 2024 Supplement manufacturers are harvesting bovine colostrum — from cows — and converting it into convenient pills and powders. Sandra Rose Salathe, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2023 Newark was full of slaughterhouses, and the errant bovine was probably freaking out — maybe even injured. Danielle Paquette, Washington Post, 20 Dec. 2023 That bovine colostrum is similar in makeup to human colostrum. Rebecca Jaspan, Mph, Rd, Health, 26 Oct. 2023 While colostrum's popularity is increasing, there is limited evidence of the benefits of bovine colostrum in humans, says Rumsey. Sandra Rose Salathe, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bovine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Late Latin bovinus, from Latin bov-, bos ox, cow — more at cow

First Known Use

Adjective

1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bovine was in 1721

Dictionary Entries Near bovine

Cite this Entry

“Bovine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bovine. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bovine

1 of 2 adjective
bo·​vine ˈbō-ˌvīn How to pronounce bovine (audio)
-ˌvēn
1
: of, relating to, or resembling the bovines and especially the ox or cow
2
: slow-moving or patient like an ox or cow

bovine

2 of 2 noun
: any of a group of ruminant mammals including the oxen, bison, and buffalo that have hollow horns and are related to the sheep and goats

Medical Definition

bovine

noun
: an ox (genus Bos) or a closely related animal
bovine adjective
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