heifer

Inherited from Middle English heyfre, hayfre, heyfer, from Old English hēahfore, hēahfru, of disputed origin; see the Old English entry for more discussion.

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛfə(ɹ)/, /ˈhɛfɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛfə(ɹ)

heifer (plural heifers)

1. A young female cow, (particularly) one over one year old but which has not calved.

   Coordinate terms: heiferette, cow, calf, bull, bullock

   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Numbers 19:1–2:

     And the Lord ſpake vnto Moſes and vnto Aaron, ſaying, This is the ordinance of the Law, which the Lord hath commaunded, ſaying, Speak vnto the childꝛen of Iſrael, that they bꝛing thee a red heifer without ſpot, wherein is no blemiſh, and vpon which neuer came yoke.

   • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 278:

     We muſt be neat; not neat, but cleanly, Captaine: / And yet the Steere, the Heycfer, and the Calfe, / Are all call'd Neat.

   • 1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page iv:

     The breath of the mountain heifer was fragrant as the gales of Sirendiep, by feeding on ſpicy herbs.

2. (obsolete) A wife.
   • 1609 December (first performance), Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Epicoene, or The Silent Woman. A Comœdie. ”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: Will Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, Act II(please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals), page 549:

     Her, whom I shall choose for my heicfar.

3. (informal, derogatory) A cow as in an unattractive or unpleasant woman.
   • 1853, T.C. Haliburton, Sam Slick's Wise Saws, volume II, page 282:

     I have half a mind to marry that heifer, tho' wives are bothersome critters when you have too many of them.

   • 2000, Mystikal, Shake Ya Ass:

     Stop your crying, heifer, I don't need all that, I got a job for you, the braided-up pimp is back!

   • 2001, Glenda Howard, Cita's World:

     My hand was aching to slap that silly heifer. I told her to take her trifling ass down to Burger King and get herself a job flipping burgers...