ewe

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈyü 

in rural dialects also

ˈyō 

: the female of the sheep especially when mature

also : the female of various related animals

Ewe

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈā-ˌwā 

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

With the addition of the six lambs, along with two other recent births, the farm's flock has grown to 21 sheep, with five more ewes currently pregnant. —Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026

And five ewes are currently pregnant. —ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026

Noun

The Whanganui River winds past the property, which is home to 3,500 breeding ewes and herds of red and fallow deer. —Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 12 Aug. 2025

In total, three ewes contributed to Dolly’s creation. —Sarah Holzmann, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Feb. 2025

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

Phrases Containing ewe

• ewe-neck

Rhymes for ewe

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

ewe

noun

ˈyü 

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

Medical Definition

ewe

noun

ˈyü  ˈyō 

: the female of the sheep especially when mature

also : the female of various related animals