buffalo

¹

[buhf-uh-loh]

noun

plural

buffaloes, buffalos ,

plural

buffalo .

1. any of several large wild oxen of the family Bovidae.

2. buffalo robe.

3. a buffalofish.

4. a shuffling tap-dance step.

verb (used with object)

Informal.

buffaloed, buffaloing 

1. to puzzle or baffle; confuse; mystify.

   He was buffaloed by the problem.

2. to impress or intimidate by a display of power, importance, etc..

   The older boys buffaloed him.

Buffalo

²

[buhf-uh-loh]

noun

1. a port in W New York, on Lake Erie.

buffalo

¹

/ ˈbʌfəˌləʊ /

noun

1. Also called: Cape buffalo. a member of the cattle tribe, Syncerus caffer , mostly found in game reserves in southern and eastern Africa and having upward-curving horns

2. short for water buffalo

3. Also called: bison. a member of the cattle tribe, Bison bison , formerly widely distributed over the prairies of W North America but now confined to reserves and parks, with a massive head, shaggy forequarters, and a humped back

verb

1. (often passive) to confuse

2. to intimidate

Buffalo

²

/ ˈbʌfəˌləʊ /

noun

1. a port in W New York State, at the E end of Lake Erie. Pop: 285 018 (2003 est)

Buffalo

1. City in western New York, on Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

Niagara Falls is northwest of Buffalo.

Word History and Origins

Origin of buffalo¹

1535–45, earlier bufalo < Portuguese (now bufaro ) < Late Latin būfalus, variant of Latin būbalus bubal

Word History and Origins

Origin of buffalo¹

C16: from Italian bufalo , from Late Latin būfalus , alteration of Latin būbalus ; see _bubal

Example Sentences

Water buffalos, cows and donkeys share dirt roads with cars, motorbikes and horse-drawn carts.

From BBC

Lodge guests might encounter an occasional buffalo while walking beside tall pine trees.

From BBC

Though the Country Kitchen employees had to stay home with no pay for months, they are back now, serving chili cheese fries, omelets and buffalo burgers.

From Los Angeles Times

Traditionally, artisans would use cow and buffalo hide to make these sandals.

From BBC

Whether it’s enemy forces or some random buffalo, the movie’s shallow depth of focus ensures that we only see our troops.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• agitate 
• bewilder 
• chill 
• confound 
• daunt 
• demoralize 
• disconcert 
• discourage 
• dishearten 
• dismay 
• dispirit 
• distract 
• fluster 
• frighten 
• perturb 
• rattle 
• sap 
• shake 
• undermine 
• unsettle