Calf Names a Young Cow and the Back of Your Leg
A calf is a young cow. The muscle at the back of the lower leg is a separate word from Norse.
A calf is a young cow or bull, and also the fleshy back of the lower leg. The two are unrelated: the animal is Old English *cealf*, the leg is Old Norse *kalfi*, and they simply collided in spelling. Both have the irregular plural *calves*. *Calf* also names the young of elephants, whales and seals, and a *calving* glacier is one shedding icebergs — the same image of something being born from a larger body.
- A young cow. *A newborn calf.*
- The back of the lower leg. *A calf muscle.*
- A young whale or elephant. *A whale calf.*
- To calve — to give birth, or shed ice. *The glacier calved.*
- Old English — *cealf*. *The animal.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | calf | A calf. |
| Plural | calves | Calves. |
| Verb | calve | Calving. |
| Related | veal | Veal. |
| Old Norse | kalfi | The calf of the leg. |
- The cow had a calf in spring.Animal.
- He pulled a calf muscle.Anatomy.
- The glacier calved an iceberg.Ice.
Words with -f to -ves plurals
- Calf — calves
- Leaf — leaves
- Loaf — loaves
- Thief — thieves
- Roof — roofs, which never made the change
The animal is Old English *cealf*. The leg is Old Norse *kalfi*, of unrelated origin.
Are the two calves related?
No. The animal is Old English and the leg muscle is Old Norse. They arrived separately and happen to be spelled alike.
What does a calving glacier mean?
A glacier shedding icebergs from its front, described as giving birth to them.