cowherd

[ kou-hurd ]

noun

1. a person whose occupation is tending and herding cows.

cowherd

/ ˈkaʊˌhɜːd /

noun

1. a person employed to tend cattle

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowherd¹

before 1000; Middle English couherde, Old English cūherde; see cow 1 , herd ²

Example Sentences

Its name honored one of the first Old English poets, a 7th-century cowherd who was said to have waked up from a dream with the gift of verse and song.

From Washington Post

Almost a decade later, when two cowherds come asking for wisdom, she blesses a bag of vegetable seeds and tells the brothers to sow them at the spot where her mother died.

From Washington Post

The cowherd, who sat with them, had a pipe between his teeth.

From The New Yorker

Surprisingly, the mutton-filled “cowherd’s pie” never quite caught on, almost giving the impression that society had room in its heart for only one crust-covered baked meat dish pretending to be pie.

From New York Times

Japan’s annual Star Festival commemorates the legend of two lovers, the weaver Orihime and the cowherd Hikoboshi, who represent two stars in the summer sky, Vega and Altair.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• herder
• rancher