cote: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowLiterary, archaic, rural/agricultural
Quick answer
What does “cote” mean?
A small shelter or shed for animals, especially sheep, pigeons, or poultry.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small shelter or shed for animals, especially sheep, pigeons, or poultry.
A small, simple structure for housing animals; can also refer to a cottage or humble dwelling in archaic/poetic usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slightly more likely to be encountered in British English due to stronger preservation of rural/archaic vocabulary, but still very rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes pastoral, rustic, or historical settings.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties. Possibly marginally higher in UK due to regional dialects (e.g., 'dovecote' is more common than 'cote' alone).
Grammar
How to Use “cote” in a Sentence
[Adj] cotecote for [animal]cote of [material]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cote” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The shepherd will cote the lambs before nightfall. (archaic)
American English
- (Rare/archaic; no distinct modern US example)
adverb
British English
- (Not standard)
American English
- (Not standard)
adjective
British English
- (Not standard)
American English
- (Not standard)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
May appear in historical, literary, or agricultural studies.
Everyday
Extremely rare.
Technical
Used in specific agricultural or historical architecture contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cote”
- Misspelling as 'coat'.
- Using in modern contexts where 'shed' or 'coop' is appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency word primarily found in literary, historical, or specific rural contexts.
A 'cote' is a general term for an animal shelter, often for birds like pigeons or doves, and can be quite simple. A 'coop' is specifically an enclosure or cage for poultry, especially chickens.
Yes, but it is archaic. It means to place or shelter in a cote, as in 'to cote the sheep'.
Yes, 'dovecote' is a compound word meaning a structure for housing doves or pigeons. 'Cote' is the root element meaning 'shelter'.
A small shelter or shed for animals, especially sheep, pigeons, or poultry.
Cote is usually literary, archaic, rural/agricultural in register.
Cote: in British English it is pronounced /kəʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /koʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(as) snug as a dove in a cote (rare/constructed)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'coat' - a coat shelters you, a COTE shelters animals.
Conceptual Metaphor
SHELTER IS A CONTAINER; SIMPLICITY IS RUSTIC.
Practice
Quiz
In which context are you most likely to encounter the word 'cote'?