sow
/saʊ/
sow
English
Noun Top 11,307
American (Lessac)
(medium)
Female
0.6s
American (Amy)
(medium)
Female
0.7s
American (Ryan)
(medium)
Male
0.3s
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Definition
A female pig.
Etymology
From Middle English sowe, from Old English sugu, from Proto-West Germanic *sugu, from Proto-Germanic *sugō, probably from Proto-Indo-European *su(H)kéh₂, from *suH- (“pig”). See also West Frisian sûch, Dutch zeug, Low German Söög, German Sau, Swedish sugga, Norwegian sugge; also Welsh hwch (“pig”), Sanskrit सूकर (sūkará, “swine, boar”); also Danish so, German Sau, Latin sūs, Tocharian B suwo, Ancient Greek ὗς (hûs), Albanian thi, Avestan 𐬵𐬏 (hū, “boar”). See also swine. Doublet of soor.
Example Sentences
- "Lucky he wasn't a sow. They've usually just dropped a cub this time of year. A sow would have been cranky as hell."
- "In England, it was generally termed a 'sow', if the weight was above 10 cwts., if below, it was termed a 'pig' from which the present term 'pig iron' is derived."
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