cattle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral; formal in agricultural/technical contexts, potentially pejorative in metaphorical use.
Quick answer
What does “cattle” mean?
Large ruminant animals kept for their meat, milk, or hides, especially domesticated bovines such as cows, bulls, steers, and oxen.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Large ruminant animals kept for their meat, milk, or hides, especially domesticated bovines such as cows, bulls, steers, and oxen.
Can be used metaphorically to refer to people regarded as a mass group, often in a dehumanizing or impersonal way (e.g., "cattle call" for a mass audition).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage largely identical. The metaphorical pejorative use (e.g., "treated like cattle") is common in both. The term 'beef cattle' vs. 'dairy cattle' is standard in both.
Connotations
Neutral in farming contexts. Can carry strong negative connotations when applied to people.
Frequency
High frequency in agricultural and rural contexts in both varieties; medium-low in general urban discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “cattle” in a Sentence
raise + cattleherd + cattlegraze + cattlea head of cattlecattle + VERB (plural)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cattle” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The farmer will cattle the new fields next spring.
- They spent the morning cattling the herd to the upper pasture.
American English
- The rancher needs to cattle the stock before the storm.
- He's out cattling the calves for vaccination.
adverb
British English
- The gate swung open cattle-wise.
- He moved cattle-quick to head off the stray.
American English
- She rode cattle-close to the lead steer.
- The truck was loaded cattle-high.
adjective
British English
- The cattle shed needed mucking out.
- They attended the cattle market in Hereford.
American English
- They drove down the cattle road to the ranch.
- The cattle auction drew buyers from three states.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in agriculture, commodities trading (e.g., live cattle futures).
Academic
Used in agricultural science, economics, history, and anthropology.
Everyday
Common in rural contexts; urban use often metaphorical or in news about farming.
Technical
Specific terms in veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, and genetics.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cattle”
- Using 'cattle' as a countable singular noun (e.g., *'one cattle').
- Using a singular verb (e.g., *'The cattle is grazing').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a plural noun. You must use plural verbs with it (e.g., 'The cattle are...'). There is no singular form 'a cattle'; you must use 'a cow', 'a bull', 'a head of cattle', etc.
'Cow' specifically refers to a female bovine that has borne a calf. 'Cattle' is the general, plural term for the entire species when domesticated, including cows, bulls, steers, and calves.
No, it's not idiomatic. You should say 'three head of cattle' (where 'head' is the plural measure word) or specify the type: 'three cows', 'three steers'.
Yes, in most contexts. Using 'cattle' to refer to people implies they are a faceless, unthinking mass and is strongly dehumanising. It is acceptable only in specific metaphors (e.g., 'cattle call' for an open audition).
Large ruminant animals kept for their meat, milk, or hides, especially domesticated bovines such as cows, bulls, steers, and oxen.
Cattle is usually neutral; formal in agricultural/technical contexts, potentially pejorative in metaphorical use. in register.
Cattle: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkæt.l̩/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkæt.l̩/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cattle call”
- “treated like cattle”
- “like herding cats (contrast idiom)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the 'cattle' BATTLE to get them into the pen. Both words rhyme and share the 'ttl' sound.
Conceptual Metaphor
PEOPLE ARE ANIMALS (when used pejoratively: "the commuters were cattle").
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence is grammatically correct?