Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce calf

KAF (US) or KAHF (UK); one syllable, the 'l' is silent

US/kæf/

kæf

UK/kɑːf/

kɑːf

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

What “calf” means

A young cow or bull of any bovid, such as domestic cattle or buffalo.

Leather made of the skin of domestic calves; especially, a fine, light-coloured leather used in bookbinding.

In a sentence

  • A calf is a young cow or bull, often nursing from its mother in the field.
  • The calfskin notebook cover was prized for its soft, pale leather.

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Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.