cattle (n.)
mid-13c., "property" of any kind, including money, land, or income; 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," literally "of the head," from caput (genitive capitis) "head" (from PIE root *kaput- "head"). Compare sense development of fee, pecuniary. Also compare chattel, which is a doublet.
in later Middle English especially "movable property, livestock" (early 14c.), including horses, sheep, asses, etc.; it began to be limited to "cows and bulls" from late 16c.
updated on November 14, 2022
Dictionary entries near cattle
catoptromancy
catsuit
catsup
cattail
cattish
cattle
catty
catty-cornered
catwalk
Caucasian
Caucasoid