Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

calve

/kæv/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.96 in modern English

Syllables: calve
IPA: /kæv/

10

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To give birth to a calf.

Intransitive verb

verb

To assist in a cow’s giving birth to a calf.

Intransitive verb

verb

To give birth to (a calf).

Transitive verb

verb

To shed a large piece.

Intransitive verb

verb

Intransitive verb

verb

To shed (a large piece); to set loose (a mass of ice).

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"The farmer could tell Bessie was about to calve."
"The farmer calved Bessie for almost two hours."
"The glacier was starting to calve even as we watched."
"The sea was dangerous because of icebergs calving off the nearby glacier."
"The glacier was starting to calve an iceberg even as we watched."

Etymology

From Middle English calven, from Old English *calfian, cealfian, from Proto-West Germanic *kalbōn, from Proto-Germanic *kalbōną (“to calve”), from *kalbaz (“calf”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian koolvje, Dutch kalven, German Low German kalven, German kalben, Swedish kalva, Icelandic kálfa.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: calven, *calfian, *kalbōn, *kalbōną

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /kæv/
British English: /kɑːv/

Usage

Inflected Forms

calves (present, singular) calving (participle, present) calved (participle, past) calved (past)

Derived Forms

calver

Phrases

down-calver

Frequently Paired Words

calf calves

Synonyms

have young break up

Homonyms

carve (some non-rhotic accents, e.g. Received Pronunciation)

Rhymes With

grave suave salve slav halve zouave have wav lav trav pav gav

Questions

How do you pronounce calve?: The recorded pronunciation is /kæv/.
What does calve mean?: To give birth to a calf.
Where does calve come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce calve

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “calve”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/kæv/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “calve”.
Repeat and practice — Say “calve” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.