ox

1 of 2

noun

ˈäks 

plural oxen ˈäk-sən  also ox

1

: a domestic bovine mammal (Bos taurus)

broadly : a bovine mammal

a team of oxen

2

: an adult castrated male domestic ox

ox-

2 of 2

combining form

variants or oxo-

: oxygen

oxacillin

Examples of ox in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Born and raised in Minnesota, Dahl’s been fishing all his life, but in recent years, he’s branched out from walleyes and bass to target more non-traditional species like bowfin, alligator gar, and bigmouth buffalo, a native sucker fish that looks like a carp and pulls like an ox. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 11 June 2025

As the well filled up, the ox rose with it, clear to the surface when a dozen willing hands pulled the animal out. —Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2024

Every 12 years the Lunar New Year cycles through the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. —Bryan West, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025

There are 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac (represented by animals—pig, ox, dog, rat, rooster, tiger, monkey, rabbit, goat, horse, and snake—and one mystical creature, the dragon), as well as five elemental attributes (water, earth, wood, metal, and fire). —Mae Hamilton, AFAR Media, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English oxa; akin to Old High German ohso ox, Sanskrit ukṣā bull, and perhaps to Sanskrit ukṣati he moistens, Greek hygros wet — more at humor entry 1

Combining form

French, from oxygène

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ox

• musk ox
• ox gall

Rhymes for ox

• balks
• blocks
• blocs
• box
• chalks
• chocks
• clocks
• cocks
• cox
• crocks
• docks
• docs

Kids Definition

ox

noun

ˈäks 

plural oxen ˈäk-sən  also ox

1

: a common large domesticated bovine mammal which is kept for milk, draft, and meat and of which the female is a cow and the male a bull

especially : an adult castrated male

2

: any various related bovine mammals (as the buffalo)