ox

1 of 2

noun

ˈäks 

plural oxen ˈäk-sən  also ox

1

: a domestic bovine mammal (Bos taurus)

broadly : a bovine mammal

a team of oxen

2

: an adult castrated male domestic ox

ox-

2 of 2

combining form

variants or oxo-

: oxygen

oxacillin

Examples of ox in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The massive engine—a tribute to pure combustion engineering—is turbine-smooth and as strong as an ox. —Michael Harley, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024

Earning our Editor's Choice Award for high-end fitness tracker, the Garmin Vivoactive 4 measures tons of advanced metrics, including (underwater) heart rate, respiration rate, stress level, pulse ox, and more, with access to over 20 preloaded sports apps and on-screen animations. —Cierra Cowan, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024

The actual black ox comes in at this point, the unnamed man leaning on it as livelihood as the Tsuta watches him through menial tasks, often in thundering rain. —Kambole Campbell, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024

Viking economics During the Viking Age, an ox would cost 2 öre of silver or 50 grams of silver. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English oxa; akin to Old High German ohso ox, Sanskrit ukṣā bull, and perhaps to Sanskrit ukṣati he moistens, Greek hygros wet — more at humor entry 1

Combining form

French, from oxygène

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ox

• musk ox
• ox gall

Kids Definition

ox

noun

ˈäks 

plural oxen ˈäk-sən  also ox

1

: a common large domesticated bovine mammal which is kept for milk, draft, and meat and of which the female is a cow and the male a bull

especially : an adult castrated male

2

: any various related bovine mammals (as the buffalo)