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Bovine comes from the Latin word for "cow", though the biological family called the Bovidae actually includes not only cows and oxen but also goats, sheep, bison, and buffalo. So bovine is often used technically, when discussing "bovine diseases", "bovine anatomy", and so on. It can also describe a human personality, though it can be a rather unkind way to describe someone. When Hera, the wife of Zeus, is called "cow-eyed", though, it's definitely a compliment, and Zeus fairly melts when she turns those big bovine eyes on him.
Examples of bovine in a Sentence
Miriam Fauzia, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
The device, made from bovine pericardial tissue and metal was developed at Edward Lifescience and approved by the FDA in February 2024.
—Jeff Gritchen, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2025
T'keyah Bazin, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2025
For anyone lactose-sensitive or simply uninterested in bovine biology, this is a breakthrough, and the results aren’t subtle.
—Maggie Turner, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bovine
Cite this Entry
“Bovine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bovine. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bovine
1 of 2 adjective
bovine
2 of 2 noun
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