calf

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kɑːf/
• (US) enPR: kǎf, IPA^(key): /kæf/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɑːf
• Rhymes: -æf

A cow and calf

From Middle English calf, kælf, kelf, from Old English cælf, ċealf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz, further etymology unknown[1].

calf (plural calves)

1. A young cow or bull.
2. Leather made of the skin of the calf; especially, a fine, light-coloured leather used in bookbinding.
3. A young elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals).
4. A chunk of ice broken from a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Kane to this entry?)

5. A small island, near a larger island.

   the Calf of Man

6. A cabless railroad engine.
7. (informal, dated) An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt.
   • Drayton

     some silly, doting, brainless calf

• cowling

• calve

• cow
• veal

Calf of the leg

From Middle English calf, kalf, from Old Norse kalfi, possibly derived from the same Germanic root as English calf (“young cow”) (above). Cognate with Icelandic kálfi (“calf of the leg”).

calf (plural calves)

1. (anatomy) The back of the leg below the knee.
2. The muscle in the back of the leg below the knee.
   • 1988, Steve Holman, "Christian Conquers Columbus", Ironman, 47 (6): 28-34.

     Sure, his calves are a little weak, but the rest of his physique is so overwhelming, he should place high.

• CLAF, FLAC

From Old Dutch calf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz.

calf n

1. calf

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

• Dutch: kalf
• Limburgish: kalf

• “calf”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• “calf”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929

From Old English cælf, Anglian form of ċealf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz.

• chalf, chalve, chelve, kelf, kalf, calfe

• IPA^(key): /kalf/, /tʃalf/

calf (plural calver(e) or calveren or calves)

1. A young cow; a bovine that has not fully matured.
2. A representation of a calf; something that looks like a calf.
3. A deer which hasn't fully grown.
4. (rare, biblical) The calf in Revelation around the throne of God.

   • a. 1382, John Wycliffe, “Apocalips 4:7”, in Wycliffe's Bible:

     And the firſte beeſte lijk a lyoun; and the ſecounde beeſte lijk a calf; and the thridde beeſte hauynge a face as of a man; and the fourthe beeſte lijk an egle fleynge.

     And the first beast [was] like a lion; and the second beast [was] like a calf; and the third beast had a face like a person; and the fourth beast [was] like an eagle flying.

5. (rare) Veal; the meat of calves.

• English: calf
• Scots: cauf, cawf, caff, calf
• Yola: callef

• “calf (n.(1))” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-17.

From Old Norse kalfi.

• calfe

• IPA^(key): /ˈkalf(ə)/

calf (plural calves)

1. The calf (part of the leg).

• English: calf
• Scots: cauf

• “calf (n.(2))” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-17.

From Proto-Germanic *kalbaz.

calf n

1. calf

• Middle Dutch: calf
  • Dutch: kalf
  • Limburgish: kalf

• “kalf”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

From Middle English calf (“young cow”).

calf

1. Alternative form of cauf (“calf (young cow)”)

From Middle English caf, caff, kaf, kaff, alternative forms of chaf.

calf

1. Alternative form of caff