- cattle (n.)
- mid-13c., "property," from Anglo-French catel "property" (Old North French catel, Old French chatel), from Medieval Latin capitale "property, stock," noun use of neuter of Latin adjective capitalis "principal, chief" (see capital (n.1)). Cf. sense development of fee, pecuniary. Sense originally was of moveable property, especially livestock; it began to be limited to "cows and bulls" from late 16c.