From Middle English cou, cu, from Old English cū (“cow”), from Proto-Germanic *kūz (“cow”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws (“cow”). Cognate with Sanskrit गो (go), Ancient Greek βοῦς (boûs), Persian گاو‎ (gāv)), Proto-Slavic *govędo (Serbo-Croatian govedo, Russian говядина (govjadina) ("beef")), Scots coo (“cow”), North Frisian ko, kø (“cow”), West Frisian ko (“cow”), Dutch koe (“cow”), Low German Koh, Koo, Kau (“cow”), German Kuh (“cow”), Swedish ko (“cow”), Norwegian ku (“cow”), Icelandic kýr (“cow”), Latin bōs (“ox, bull, cow”), Armenian կով (kov, “cow”).

The plural kine is from Middle English kyne, kyn, kuin, kiin, kien (“cows”), either a double plural of Middle English ky, kye (“cows”), equivalent to modern kye +‎ -en, or inherited from Old English cȳna (“cows', of cows”), genitive plural of cū (“cow”).

Noun Edit

English Wikipedia has an article on:

cow

cow (plural cows or cattle or kine) (see usage notes)

(properly) An adult female of the species Bos taurus, especially one that has calved.

(formerly inexact but now common) Any member of the species Bos taurus regardless of sex or age, including bulls and calves.

(uncommon) Beef: the meat of cattle as food.

(uncommon) Any bovines or bovids generally, including yaks, buffalo, etc.

(biology) A female member of other large species of mammal, including the bovines, moose, whales, seals, hippos, rhinos, manatees, and elephants.

(derogatory, Britain, Australia, informal) A woman considered unpleasant in some way, particularly one considered nasty, stupid, fat, lazy, or difficult. quotations ▼

(mining) A chock: a wedge or brake used to stop a machine or car.

Usage notes Edit

The plural cows is the normal plural for multiple individuals, while cattle is used in a more collective sense. The umlaut plurals kee, kie, kine, ky and kye are archaic or dialectal, and are not in common use.

Synonyms Edit

(derogatory: despicable woman): bitch

(informal: anything annoyingly difficult): bastard, bitch, bugger (UK)

Antonyms Edit

(female domesticated ox or other bovine): bull (male, uncastrated), ox or steer (male, castrated), heifer (female, immature)

Hyponyms Edit

(young or little): cowlet, cowling

Derived terms Edit

cowherd, cowherder

cowmilk, cow milk, cow's milk

cow pat, cow patty

cowfish

cowflesh

cowfoot

cowpunching

cowpunk

cowquake