Word of the Day - 06/15/26
kine
/'kaɪn/(n.): archaic plural of 'cow'; cattle
The farmer led his kine to the verdant pastures by the river.
Word Origin
The word 'kine' is an archaic plural of 'cow'. It originates from Old English 'cȳn', which was the plural form of 'cū' (cow). The '-n' ending is a remnant of an old Indo-European plural suffix.
Words like 'oxen' and 'children' share a similar archaic plural formation, where the '-n' or '-en' ending is a relic of an old Indo-European plural suffix. 'Oxen' comes from Old English 'oxan' (plural of 'oxa'), and 'children' similarly evolved from an Old English plural form of 'cild' ('child').