buffalo

¹

[ buhf-uh-loh ]

noun

, plural buf·fa·loes, buf·fa·los, (especially collectively) buf·fa·lo.

1. any of several large wild oxen of the family Bovidae. Compare bison, Cape buffalo, water buffalo.
2. buffalo robe.
3. a buffalofish.
4. a shuffling tap-dance step.

verb (used with object)

, Informal.

, buf·fa·loed, buf·fa·lo·ing.

1. to puzzle or baffle; confuse; mystify:

   He was buffaloed by the problem.

2. to impress or intimidate by a display of power, importance, etc.:

   The older boys buffaloed him.

Buffalo

²

[ buhf-uh-loh ]

noun

1. a port in W New York, on Lake Erie.

buffalo

¹

/ ˈbʌfəˌləʊ /

noun

1. Also calledCape buffalo a member of the cattle tribe, Syncerus caffer , mostly found in game reserves in southern and eastern Africa and having upward-curving horns
2. short for water buffalo
3. Also calledbison a member of the cattle tribe, Bison bison , formerly widely distributed over the prairies of W North America but now confined to reserves and parks, with a massive head, shaggy forequarters, and a humped back bubaline

verb

1. often passive to confuse
2. to intimidate

Buffalo

²

/ ˈbʌfəˌləʊ /

noun

1. a port in W New York State, at the E end of Lake Erie. Pop: 285 018 (2003 est)

Buffalo

1. City in western New York , on Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

Notes

Niagara Falls is northwest of Buffalo.

Word History and Origins

Origin of buffalo¹

1535–45, Americanism; earlier bufalo < Portuguese (now bufaro ) < Late Latin būfalus, variant of Latin būbalus bubal

Word History and Origins

Origin of buffalo¹

C16: from Italian bufalo , from Late Latin būfalus , alteration of Latin būbalus ; see bubal

Related Words

• agitate
• bewilder
• chill
• confound
• daunt
• demoralize
• disconcert
• discourage
• dishearten
• dismay
• dispirit
• distract
• fluster
• frighten
• perturb
• rattle
• sap
• shake
• undermine
• unsettle