buffalo

IPA/ˈbʌfələʊ/
KK[bˈʌfəlˌo]IPA/ˈbʌfələʊ/

buffalo — noun

  • buffalosingular
  • buffalosplural

1. A large, powerful animal whose horns are long and curve outward, found across Af

1.nounB1
Definition

A large, powerful animal whose horns are long and curve outward, found across Africa and Asia — including the water buffalo, used for farm work, and the Cape buffalo of the African savanna.

Example

Lucas saw a herd of buffalo grazing near the river during his trip to Kenya.

herd of buffalo grazing

Thai farmers often use the water buffalo to pull ploughs through the rice fields.

water buffalo to pull ploughs

Common collocations
  • herd of buffalo
  • water buffalo
  • Cape buffalo
  • buffalo grazing
  • wild buffalo
Synonyms
  • water buffalo

    refers specifically to the domesticated Asian species

  • Cape buffalo

    refers specifically to the wild African species

Grammar Patterns

buffalo (singular/plural)

Usage Note

In everyday conversation, 'buffalo' can refer either to the African and Asian species (true buffalo) or to the North American bison, depending on context. When scientific accuracy is needed, only the African and Asian animals are called true buffalo.

Common Mistakes

I saw a buffalo in Canada at the national park.
I saw a bison in Canada at the national park.
The animal found in North America is technically a bison, though many people call it a buffalo in casual speech.

2. A very large wild animal with a big hairy head and shoulders, native to the plai

2.nounB1
Definition

A very large wild animal with a big hairy head and shoulders, native to the plains of North America; the American bison.

Example

The American buffalo once roamed the Great Plains in enormous herds numbering millions.

once roamed the Great Plains

Takeshi visited Yellowstone National Park and saw wild buffalo grazing close to the road.

Common collocations
  • American buffalo
  • herd of buffalo
  • plains buffalo
  • buffalo hunt
  • wild buffalo
Synonyms
  • bison

    the scientifically correct term for the North American animal

  • plains bison

    refers to the subspecies found on the Great Plains

Grammar Patterns

buffalo (singular/plural)

Usage Note

Though widely called 'buffalo' in everyday American speech, the North American animal is technically a bison (genus Bison). True buffalo (genus Bubalus and Syncerus) are found only in Africa and Asia.

Common Mistakes

The American buffalo is a different species from the African buffalo.' (grammatically fine but misleading).
The American bison is often mistakenly called a buffalo.
Using 'bison' for the North American animal avoids confusion with true buffalo.

3. The meat of a buffalo or bison, prepared and eaten as food.

3.nounB2
Definition

The meat of a buffalo or bison, prepared and eaten as food.

Example

Gabriel ordered a buffalo burger at the diner instead of a beef burger.

buffalo burger

Buffalo meat is leaner than beef and has a slightly sweeter, richer taste.

Buffalo meat is leaner than beef

Common collocations
  • buffalo burger
  • buffalo steak
  • buffalo jerky
  • buffalo meat
  • ground buffalo
Synonyms
  • bison meat

    specifically the meat of the North American bison

  • buffalo meat

    used interchangeably for meat from true buffalo or bison

Grammar Patterns

buffalo + noun (as modifier)

buffalo — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

The term 'buffalo' commonly refers to the North American bison in everyday American speech, but scientists reserve 'bison' for the American and European species (genus Bison). True buffalo (genus Bubalus and Syncerus) are the water buffalo of Asia and the Cape buffalo of Africa. 'Ox' describes a trained adult male of the cow family used for pulling loads, not a wild animal. 'Cattle' is a general term for domesticated bovine animals raised for meat, milk, or labour. So while a menu might advertise a 'buffalo burger' (actually bison meat), a farm in India keeps 'water buffalo' for milk and ploughing, and a farmer in Nebraska raises 'beef cattle' for meat.

buffalo ↗bison ↗ox ↗cattle ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • herd of buffalo
  • buffalo hunter
  • buffalo burger
  • water buffalo
  • Cape buffalo

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinPortugueseEnglish

The word 'buffalo' entered English through Portuguese 'bufalo', from Late Latin 'bufalus', a variant of Latin 'bubalus' meaning 'wild ox' or 'antelope', which came from Greek 'boubalos' — an African antelope. The name was first applied to the Asian water buffalo and later extended to the Cape buffalo of Africa and, by early European settlers, to the American bison. The informal verb sense (to baffle or confuse) arose in early 20th-century American English, possibly from the idea that a charging buffalo leaves a hunter bewildered, or from a link to 'buffaloing' as a slang term for intimidation.

First known use

1562

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb