bò
/b̥oː/feminine
The Gaelic word for cow is bò. If unsure, use bò. Wiktionary also lists mart.
Meaning: adult female of species Bos taurus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bò | /b̥oː/ | feminine |
| mart | /marˠʃt̪/ | masculine |
bò is the everyday word for a cow, the adult female of cattle. mart is another word you will meet for a cow or a head of cattle.
Which one should you use?
bò is feminine and is the general word for a cow. mart is masculine.
How does it change in a sentence?
bò is a feminine noun. After the article its first sound is softened, so b becomes bh, as in a' bhò.
How do you pronounce it?
bò is pronounced /b̥oː/, with a long o sound.
Did you know?
- In ancient Gaelic culture, cattle were the primary form of currency and wealth. The number of bò a person owned determined their social status and power.
- The masculine word mart specifically references 'Martinmas', the feast day of St Martin on November 11 when cattle were traditionally slaughtered for winter.
- Traditional Gaelic myths and laws detail the practice of cattle raiding, where stealing a bò was a socially recognized method for settling disputes.
Examples in context
- ciùin ris a' bhò is garbh ris an eachGentle with the cow and harsh with the horseIn this saying a' bhò is the softened form of the word for cow after the article.
Example conversation
Callum and Eilidh are looking at animals in a field.
- CallumSeall air an bò.Look at the cow.
- EilidhTha i dearg agus dubh.She is red and black.
- CallumTha i snog.She is beautiful.
- EilidhTha i gu math sàmhach.She is very quiet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cow” translations and entries bò, mart, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bò, mart, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
