cattle

plural noun cat·tle \ ˈka-tᵊl \

|Updated on: 8 Jun 2018

Definition of cattle

1 : domesticated quadrupeds held as property or raised for use; specifically : bovine animals on a farm or ranch

2 : human beings especially en masse

Recent Examples of cattle from the Web

Last year, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners awarded $7,500 each to eight students who planned to study cattle after graduating.

— neil c. olson, Fortune, "America’s Veterinarian Shortage Is Bad for Animals and Humans Alike," 5 June 2018
The hope was that a domestic soybean glut would lower the cost of feeding cattle and bring down the price of beef.

— marc levinson, WSJ, "‘Magic Bean’ Review: A Legume’s World Conquest," 3 June 2018
Cats that prey on cattle become the targets of retaliatory killings.

— National Geographic, "As Tigers Become Rarer, Poachers Are Targeting Lions," 1 June 2018
But most of those headlines portrayed the Bundys as straight-up lunatics who called on a militia to fight the BLM over unpaid cattle grazing fees and a belief that the government should not own public lands.

— the editors, Outside Online, "What We Read, Watched, and Listened to in May," 1 June 2018
Another Republican who broke ranks, Sen. Ben Chafin, Russell, is a lawyer and a cattle farmer from a rural district where health care is sorely lacking.

— author: laura vozzella, gregory s. schneider, Anchorage Daily News, "Virginia Senate approves Medicaid expansion to 400,000 low-income residents," 31 May 2018
Others are intended to save on fuel costs or cram more passengers into the already cattle pen-like fuselage.

— emily matchar, Smithsonian, "Seven Airplane Innovations That Could Change How We Travel," 30 May 2018
In the miniseries she’s portrayed as a tomboy who grew up on a cattle station, and who fiercely resents the school’s efforts to refine her.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "Picnic at Hanging Rock," 29 May 2018
The problem is that there is not enough of the seaweed growing naturally to use in cattle feed.

— peter fimrite, San Francisco Chronicle, "UC Davis researchers study ways to reduce methane in cow belches," 25 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cattle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cattle

Middle English catel, from Anglo-French katil, chatel personal property, from Medieval Latin capitale, from Latin, neuter of capitalis of the head — more at capital

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Mammals Terms

dormouse, dugong, gibbon, grimalkin, sable, stoat, ungulate, vole

CATTLE Defined for English Language Learners

cattle

noun

Definition of cattle for English Language Learners

: cows, bulls, or steers that are kept on a farm or ranch for meat or milk

CATTLE Defined for Kids

cattle

noun cat·tle \ ˈka-tᵊl \

Definition of cattle for Students

plural cattle

: domestic animals with four feet and especially cows, bulls, and calves

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See words that rhyme with cattle Spanish Central: Translation of cattle Nglish: Translation of cattle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cattle for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cattle

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cattle

Definition of cattle

Recent Examples of cattle from the Web

Origin and Etymology of cattle

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CATTLE Defined for English Language Learners

cattle

Definition of cattle for English Language Learners

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cattle

Definition of cattle for Students

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