Cows
/kaʊz/noun
Plural of cow; adult female cattle, or cattle collectively in general use.
Did you know?In early Germanic and Indo-European societies, cattle were so valuable that the same ancient root behind “cow” also helped shape words for money and property in related languages.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷṓus
“Cattle; cow”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*kūz
“Cow, bovine”
Old English
OE
cū
“A cow”
Middle English
ME
cou, cow
“A cow; later also plural cows”
Modern English
English
cow / cows
“An adult female bovine; cattle”