beef

Where does the word "beef" come from? It comes from Latin bos, passing through Old French before entering English (medieval).

Beef’s story begins in Latin: bos meant “ox, cattle.” The Latin word for cattle. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as boeuf. Brought to England by Norman rulers. It reached English by medieval as beef. Adopted for the meat, while "cow" stayed the native English word for the animal. Today, beef means the meat from cattle.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient bos "ox, cattle", the Latin word for cattle.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval boeuf "beef cattle, beef", brought to England by Norman rulers.
3. Stage 3 · English · medieval beef "the meat of cattle", adopted for the meat, while "cow" stayed the native English word for the animal.