Calf
/kæf/
Definitions
2 meaningsA young cow or bull.
/kæf/
Young of a bovine animal
The farmer's wife bottle-fed the orphaned calf.
💡 Simply: A baby cow.
More Examples
Several calves grazed peacefully in the field.
How It's Used
"The farmer carefully examined each calf in the pasture."
"Veal is the meat from a young calf."
The back part of the leg below the knee.
/kæf/
The fleshy back part of the human leg below the knee
I pulled a muscle in my calf.
💡 Simply: The muscle in the back of your lower leg.
More Examples
He felt a sharp pain in his right calf.
How It's Used
"The athlete strained his calf muscle during the race."
Old English *cealf, from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz. Related to Latin *calvus "bald," suggesting a possible connection to the calf's bald head.
The word 'calf' has maintained consistent usage throughout history, referring to both the young bovine and the leg muscle.
Memory tip
Think of a cute, young cow.
Word Origin
"Possibly related to 'bald' due to the calf's initially hairless head."