Animal Etymology: Ruminant Words

The cow is of the bovine ilk: One end is moo, the other, milk.

Saturdays are perfect days for ungulate surprises. Surprise—we’re talking about words related to ruminants today!

Ask your average English speaker if they know what a ruminant is, and you may be met with a blank or puzzled stare. Ask if they know what a cow, deer, goats, sheep, giraffe, gazelle, or antelope is, and they’ll probably think that you’re the clueless one. All of these fine animals are related members of the suborder Ruminantia, connected by their ability to derive nourishment from plant-based food by fermenting it in a four-chambered stomach prior to digestion. They are also considered ungulates, meaning they have two-toed feet. What practical vocabulary related to ruminants should you know?

bovine (adj) - of, like, or pertaining to cows and cattle

buck (verb) - to leap and kick in order to throw off a rider; to resist or oppose
—buck or stag refers to a male ruminant or males of other species and can describe a particularly proud, spirited, or testosterone-fueled human male

bullheaded (adj) - stubborn

bullish (adj) - either optimistic (especially regarding financial matters) or stubborn

cow (verb) - to intimidate or threaten
—cowed means intimidated, frightened, or overawed 

ruminate (verb) - to mediate or ponder; to chew over, as a ruminant chews cud–partially digested plant matter

sheepish (adj) - bashful or embarrassed; meek and placid

What ruminant words did we miss?

“People who are upset about something ruminate on it whenever they get a chance; they are constantly drawn back to their own unhappy tale as if it were a horror story left open on a table.” —Emile Chartier