Etymology

cowherd

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Today it means: One who herds cattle; a cowboy. Full definition →

Middle English couherde ← Old English cūhierde
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cowherd · noun1

  1. Old English · inherited fromcūhierde
  2. Middle English · inherited fromcouherde
  3. English todaycowherd

From Middle English couherde, from Old English cūhierde, equivalent to cow + herd (“herder”). Doublet of Coward (the surname). Cognate with German Kuhhirte (“cowherd”). Compare shepherd, goatherd, swineherd, etc.

Cowherd · proper noun2

From cowherd.

Words from the same roots

Old Englishcūhierde all →

coward

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.