ewe

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈyü How to pronounce ewe (audio)
in rural dialects also
ˈyō How to pronounce ewe (audio)
: the female of the sheep especially when mature
also : the female of various related animals

Ewe

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈā-ˌwā How to pronounce Ewe (audio)
ˈā-ˌvā
plural Ewe also Ewes
: a people of Ghana and Togo speaking a Kwa language
also : the language itself

Examples of ewe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The overall livestock number has also gone down, from 600 cows to about 80 cows and 50 ewes. Christine Ro, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024 The Transhumance, which takes place each year on Pentecost Monday, sees thousands of ewes paraded through the town centre. Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2024 Another slightly newer cuneiform tablet in the Met’s collection, dating to about 2039 B.C.E., documents the selling of some sheep, ewes and goats. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024 At the desert lab that day, the wildlife team sampled five bighorn rams and seven ewes. Jon Cohen, science.org, 29 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ewe 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ewe.' 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

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English ēowu; akin to Old High German ouwi ewe, Latin ovis sheep, Greek ois

Noun (2)

Ewe eβe, βe, a self-designation

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ewe was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ewe

Cite this Entry

“Ewe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ewe. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

ewe

noun
: a female of the sheep or a related animal especially when mature

Medical Definition

ewe

noun
: the female of the sheep especially when mature
also : the female of various related animals

More from Merriam-Webster on ewe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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