calf

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A young cow.

   The cow stood next to her newborn calf in the field.

2. 2
   noun

   The thick muscle at the back of your leg below the knee.

   He stretched his calves before going for a run.

3. 3
   noun

   The young of certain large animals such as whales, elephants, or giraffes.

   The elephant kept her calf close as the herd moved on.

From Middle English calf, from Anglian Old English cælf, calf (West Saxon ċealf), from Proto-Germanic *kalbaz, further etymology unknown. Cognates * Scots caff (“calf”) * Scots calf (“calf”) * Scots cauf (“calf”) * Scots cawf (“calf”) * North Frisian Kualev (“calf”) * North Frisian kualew (“calf”) * North Frisian kuulew (“calf”) * Saterland Frisian Koolich (“calf”) * West Frisian keal (“calf”) * German Kalb (“calf”) * Luxembourgish Kallef (“calf”) * Limburgish kalf (“calf”) * Dutch kalf (“calf”) * Vilamovian kołb (“calf”) * Vilamovian kołp (“calf”) * Faroese kálvur (“calf”) * Icelandic kálfur…

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