buffalo

/ˌbʌf(ə)ˈloʊ/

/ˈbʌfələʊ/

Other forms: buffaloes; buffaloed; buffalos; buffaloing

A buffalo is a large, ox-like animal with horns and shaggy fur. In North America, a buffalo is another name for a bison.

There are various types of buffalo around the world, including South Asia's water buffalo and the African buffalo, but the bison is the most well-known type of buffalo in the U.S. You can also use the word as a verb, meaning "to intimidate," and when it's capitalized, Buffalo is a city in New York state. These various meanings have resulted in the longest sentence in English that uses only one word: "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" meaning — Buffalonian (1) buffalos (2) that other Buffalonian (3) buffalos (4) scare (5) also scare (6) other Buffalonian (7) buffalos (8).

Definitions of buffalo

1. noun

   any of several Old World animals resembling oxen including, e.g., water buffalo; Cape buffalo
   synonyms: Old World buffalo

   types:

   Asiatic buffalo, Bubalus bubalis, water buffalo, water ox

   an Asian buffalo that is often domesticated for use as a draft animal

   Anoa depressicornis, anoa, dwarf buffalo

   small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns

   Anoa mindorensis, Bubalus mindorensis, tamarao, tamarau

   small buffalo of Mindoro in the Philippines

   Cape buffalo, Synercus caffer

   large often savage buffalo of southern Africa having upward-curving horns; mostly in game reserves

   Indian buffalo

   upland buffalo of eastern Asia where true water buffaloes do not thrive; used for draft and milk

   carabao

   water buffalo of the Philippines

   type of:

   bovid

   hollow-horned ruminants
2. noun

   large shaggy-haired brown bison of North American plains
   synonyms: American bison, American buffalo, Bison bison

   type of:

   bison

   any of several large humped bovids having shaggy manes and large heads and short horns
3. noun

   meat from an American bison
   type of:

   game

   the flesh of wild animals that is used for food
4. verb

   intimidate or overawe
   type of:

   cow, overawe

   subdue, restrain, or overcome by affecting with a feeling of awe; frighten (as with threats)