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Where does the word "bull" come from? It comes from Old Norse boli, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
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Where does the word "bull" come from? It comes from Old Norse boli, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
Bull’s story begins in Old Norse: boli meant “a male bovine.” A male bovine animal. It reached English by 1200s as bull. Settled as the standard English word for the male of cattle. Today, bull means an adult male of cattle or other large animal species.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval boli "a male bovine", a male bovine animal.
- Stage 2 · English · 1200s bull "an adult male bovine animal", settled as the standard English word for the male of cattle.