zebu
/ˈziːbuː/
noun
Origin
Tibetan
ce-ba — hump
Overview
Meaning Now
- A domesticated ox (Bos indicus) native to Asia and Africa, characterized by a large fatty hump on its shoulders and long drooping ears.
Language path
Tibetan → French → English
Earliest form
zébu
Earliest period
18th century
Journey
The zebu is an ancient breed of cattle, depicted in early Indus Valley Civilization seals. The term was adopted into European languages in the 18th century as naturalists categorized species from the East. It is distinct from the taurine cattle (Bos taurus) native to Europe and the Near East.
Evolution
- Old Tibetan
ce-ba
“hump”
- 18th-century French
zébu
“humped ox”
Introduced by French naturalists describing Asian fauna.
- Modern English
zebu
“Bos indicus”
Connections
Related across languages
French
zébu
zebu
German
zebu
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.