noun
calf
kahf
noun
1
A young cow, bull, or the young of certain other large animals such as elephants or whales.
"The calf stayed close to its mother in the field."
"A newborn elephant calf can weigh over 200 pounds."
2
The muscular back part of the lower leg, below the knee.
"He pulled a muscle in his calf during the sprint."
"Running uphill really works your calves."
3
A chunk of ice that breaks away from a glacier or ice shelf.
"A huge calf broke off the glacier and crashed into the sea."
How to Use Calf
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a baby cow (or similar animal) or the back of your lower leg — two unrelated meanings sharing one word.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "calve" (the verb, meaning to give birth to a calf or to break off as ice).
Common pairings
calf muscle
a newborn calf
cow and calf
Word Forms
calves plural, calfs plural, calves plural
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The _____ stayed close to its mother in the field.
Etymology
From Old English cealf, from a Proto-Germanic root shared with German Kalb and Dutch kalf.