cat·tle (k?t?l) pl.n. 1. a. Ruminant mammals of the genus Bos that have been domesticated and are often raised for meat and dairy products. Cows, steers, bulls, and oxen are cattle. b. Similar wild or domesticated bovine animals, such as anoas or gaurs. 2. Humans, especially when viewed contemptuously or as a mob. [Middle English catel, property, livestock, from Old North French, from Old Provençal capdal, from Medieval Latin capit?le, holdings, funds, from neuter of Latin capit?lis, principal, original, from caput, head; see kaput- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.cattle (?kæt?l) n (functioning as plural) 1. (Animals) bovid mammals of the tribe Bovini (bovines), esp those of the genus Bos2. (Animals) Also called: domestic cattle any domesticated bovine mammals, esp those of the species Bos taurus (domestic ox)[C13: from Old Northern French catel, Old French chatel chattel]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014cat?tle (?kæt l) n. (used with a pl. v.) 1. bovine animals, esp. domesticated members of the genus Bos, as cows and steers. 2. human beings, esp. in a large, unruly crowd. [1175?1225; Middle English catel