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

Clones of four endangered species, Przewalski’s horse, a native of Central Asia, ox species the Indian gaur, banteng cattle from Southeast Asia and the black-footed ferret from North America, have all been created from genetic material kept at the facility. —Tom Page, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026

Instead of kings and queens cunningly maneuvering their armies against their enemies, there’s only an ox of a man and a bald little boy, neither of whom exhibits a clearly superior intellect. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Jan. 2026

While the detail of the ox and ass is quite familiar to many Christians today, few are aware of the other striking tales transmitted by the apocrypha. —Mary Dzon, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025

The ideal of wuwei (无为, effortless action) is commonly illustrated by the famous story of Cook Ding, who learned to follow the hollows and openings of an animal’s body and effortlessly wielded his knife to carve an ox. —Big Think, 18 Nov. 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)