sheep

English

/ʃiːp/, /ʃip/

noun
Definitions
  • (countable) A woolly ruminant of the genus Ovis.
  • (countable) A timid, shy person who is easily led by others.
  • (countable) A religious adherent, a member of a congregation or religious community (compare flock (flock)).
  • (uncountable) Sheepskin leather.
  • (countable) A person who is easily understood by a speech recognition system; contrasted with goat (goat).

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English sheep inherited from Old English sċēap (sheep) inherited from Proto-Germanic *skēpą.

Origin

Proto-Germanic

*skēpą

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms