cattle
KA-tuhl
Cattle (noun) means Domesticated cows and bulls raised for milk, meat, or labor. Example: “The farmer led the cattle across the field to the barn for the night.”
noun
1
Domesticated cows and bulls raised for milk, meat, or labor.
"The farmer led the cattle across the field to the barn for the night."
"Cattle grazed quietly on the green hillside while the rain fell."
"The ranch runs about two thousand head of cattle."
2
People treated as an undifferentiated, disposable mass rather than individuals.
"Commuters packed onto the platform like cattle, pushing and shoving to board the train."
"The airline treated its customers like cattle, herding them through the queues without a word."
"The workers felt they were being treated like cattle on the factory floor."
How to use cattle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFarm animals raised for meat and dairy — cows, bulls, oxen.
Common mistake
Cattle is a plural, uncountable-style noun with no singular form of its own; you say "a cow" or "a head of cattle," never "a cattle."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a herd of cattle
raise cattle
cattle ranch
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Word forms
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The farmer led the _____ across the field to the barn for the night.
Etymology
From Old Northern French catel, "personal property," ultimately from Latin capitalis ("of the head") — a doublet of both capital and chattel, since livestock counted as wealth measured by the head.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for cattle
See all rhymes for cattle →Frequently asked questions
What does “cattle” mean?
The word “cattle” means domesticated cows and bulls raised for milk, meat, or labor. In plain terms, farm animals raised for meat and dairy — cows, bulls, oxen.
How do you pronounce “cattle”?
“Cattle” is pronounced KA-tuhl (/ˈkætəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “cattle” in a sentence?
Here is “cattle” used in a sentence: “The ranch runs about two thousand head of cattle.”
What part of speech is “cattle”?
“Cattle” is a noun.
Where does the word “cattle” come from?
The word “cattle” comes from Latin. From Old Northern French catel, "personal property," ultimately from Latin capitalis ("of the head") — a doublet of both capital and chattel, since livestock counted as wealth measured by the head.
Is “cattle” a common word?
“Cattle” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “cattle” have?
“Cattle” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: domesticated cows and bulls raised for milk, meat, or labor.
Is cattle singular or plural?
Cattle is a plural noun and takes a plural verb, as in 'the cattle are grazing'. There is no singular form 'a cattle'; to refer to one animal you would say 'a cow', 'a bull', 'a steer', or 'a head of cattle'.
What is the difference between cattle and cows?
Cattle is a collective term covering all domesticated bovines raised for milk, meat, or labour, including cows, bulls, calves, and steers. A cow strictly refers to an adult female, so all cows are cattle, but not all cattle are cows.
What is the difference between cattle and livestock?
Cattle refers specifically to domesticated cows and bulls, whereas livestock is a broader term for all farm animals kept for economic use, including sheep, pigs, goats, and poultry as well as cattle. Cattle are therefore one type of livestock.
