Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cowherd” come from?

Cowherd comes from Middle English couherde, from Old English cūhyrde, a compound of cū (cow) and hyrde (herd, guardian).

cowherd (English): A person who herds cattle; a cowboy

Definitions

  1. A person who herds cattle; a cowboy

Ancestry of “cowherd”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcouherde—
2Old Englishcūhyrdeone who has the charge of cows; cowherd

Words derived from “cowherd”

  • cowherdess
Every word from Old English cūhyrde →