calves

1
[ kavz, kahvz ]
/ kævz, kɑvz /

noun

plural of calf1.

Definition for calves (2 of 5)

calves 2
[ kavz, kahvz ]
/ kævz, kɑvz /

noun

plural of calf2.

Definition for calves (3 of 5)

calf 1
[ kaf, kahf ]
/ kæf, kɑf /

noun, plural calves [kavz, kahvz] /kævz, kɑvz/.

the young of the domestic cow or other bovine animal.
the young of certain other mammals, as the elephant, seal, and whale.
calfskin leather.
Informal. an awkward, silly boy or man.
a mass of ice detached from a glacier, iceberg, or floe.

Origin of calf

1
before 900; Middle English; Old English cealf, calf; cognate with Old Saxon kalf, Old Norse kalfr, Old High German kalb

OTHER WORDS FROM calf

calf·less, adjective calf·like, adjective

Definition for calves (4 of 5)

calve
[ kav, kahv ]
/ kæv, kɑv /

verb (used without object), calved, calv·ing.

to give birth to a calf: The cow is expected to calve tomorrow.
(of a glacier, an iceberg, etc.) to break up or splinter so as to produce a detached piece.

verb (used with object), calved, calv·ing.

to give birth to (a calf).
(of a glacier, an iceberg, etc.) to break off or detach (a piece): The glacier calved an iceberg.

Origin of calve

before 1000; Middle English calven, Old English (Anglian) *calfian, derivative of calf calf1; cognate with Old English (West Saxon) cealfian

Definition for calves (5 of 5)

calf 2
[ kaf, kahf ]
/ kæf, kɑf /

noun, plural calves [kavz, kahvz] /kævz, kɑvz/.

the fleshy part of the back of the human leg below the knee.

Origin of calf

2
1275–1325; Middle English < Old Norse kalfi; akin to calf1

Example sentences from the Web for calves

British Dictionary definitions for calves (1 of 4)

calves
/ (kɑːvz) /

noun

the plural of calf 1, calf 2

British Dictionary definitions for calves (2 of 4)

calve
/ (kɑːv) /

verb

to give birth to (a calf)
(of a glacier or iceberg) to release (masses of ice) in breaking up

British Dictionary definitions for calves (3 of 4)

calf 1
/ (kɑːf) /

noun plural calves

the young of cattle, esp domestic cattle Related adjective: vituline
the young of certain other mammals, such as the buffalo, elephant, giraffe, and whale
a large piece of floating ice detached from an iceberg, etc
kill the fatted calf to celebrate lavishly, esp as a welcome
another name for calfskin

Word Origin for calf

Old English cealf; related to Old Norse kālfr, Gothic kalbō, Old High German kalba

British Dictionary definitions for calves (4 of 4)

calf 2
/ (kɑːf) /

noun plural calves

the thick fleshy part of the back of the leg between the ankle and the knee Related adjective: sural

Word Origin for calf

C14: from Old Norse kalfi

Medical definitions for calves

calf
[ kăf ]

n. pl. calves (kăvz)

The fleshy, muscular back part of the human leg between the knee and ankle, formed chiefly by the bellies of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.

Idioms and Phrases with calves

calf

see kill the fatted calf; puppy (calf) love.