Where does “cows” come from?

Cow comes from Old English cū, from Proto-Germanic kūz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷṓws, a word for bovine animals.

cows (English): plural of cow; Alternative form of kouse;...

Definitions

  1. plural of cow; Alternative form of kouse;...

Ancestry of “cows”, step by step

cows traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English cow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcowAn adult female of the species "Bos taurus",...
2Middle EnglishcowAlternative form of cou
3Old Englishcūcow
4Proto-West Germanic*kōcow
5Proto-Germanic*kōzcow

via English kouse

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkouseA plant or herb with edible roots, in the genus...
2Old Norsekausi—
Every word from Proto-Germanic *kōz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *kō →Every word from Old English cū →