Cow vs. Man: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on October 5, 2023
Cow refers to a female bovine animal, often raised for milk or meat. Man refers to an adult human male.
Key Differences
A cow is primarily an animal in the bovine family, often domesticated for the production of milk, meat, or hides. The term "cow" is usually reserved for adult female cattle, while males are called "bulls." In agriculture and the dairy industry, cows play a significant role as producers of essential resources.
On the other hand, "man" refers to an adult human male. The term is often used in a broader context to describe humanity or the human species in general. In society, men have various roles, including that of a father, worker, or leader. The word can also be used in an abstract sense to denote mankind's collective achievements or failures.
In terms of language, "cow" and "man" serve different grammatical purposes. "Cow" is mainly a noun but can be used as a verb in the context of intimidating someone ("to cow"). "Man," besides being a noun, can also function as a verb to indicate staffing or occupying a position, as in "to man the station."
While both terms can be used metaphorically, their scope and implications differ. "Cow" may be used to describe a timid or easily frightened person, while "man" can represent humanity or the human condition in philosophical discussions or literature.
Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
Adult female bovine
Adult human male
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Context
Agriculture, dairy industry
Human society, occupations
Grammatical Role
Noun, sometimes verb ("to cow")
Noun, sometimes verb ("to man")
Variants
Calf (young), Bull (male)
Boy (young), Woman (female counterpart)
Idiomatic Usage
Less common
More common
Cow and Man Definitions
Cow
Dairy Producer
The cow provides us with fresh milk.
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Man
Human Species
Man has walked on the moon.
Cow
Sacred Animal
In some cultures, the cow is revered.
Man
Worker
The man clocked in at 9 AM.
Cow
Female Bovine
The cow is grazing in the pasture.
Man
Courageous Individual
Be a man and face your fears.
Cow
Meat Source
The cow will be taken to the butcher.
Man
Staff Position
Man the booth while I'm gone.
Cow
The mature female of cattle of the genus Bos.
Man
An adult male human.
Cow
The mature female of certain other large animals, such as elephants, moose, or whales.
Man
A human regardless of sex or age; a person.
Cow
A domesticated bovine of either sex or any age.
Man
A human or an adult male human belonging to a specific occupation, group, nationality, or other category. Often used in combination
A milkman.
A congressman.
A freeman.
Cow
To frighten or subdue with threats or a show of force.
Man
The human race; mankind
Man's quest for peace.
Cow
An adult female of the species Bos taurus, especially one that has calved.
Cow milk is the most common form of milk in Europe.
Man
A male human endowed with qualities, such as strength, considered characteristic of manhood.
Cow
(formerly inexact but now common) Any member of the species Bos taurus regardless of sex or age, including bulls and calves.
Man
A husband.
Cow
(uncommon) Beef: the meat of cattle as food.
The only meat I eat is cow.
Man
A male lover or sweetheart.
Cow
(uncommon) Any bovines or bovids generally, including yaks, buffalo, etc.
Man
Workers.
Cow
(biology) A female member of other large species of mammal, including the bovines, moose, whales, seals, hippos, rhinos, manatees, and elephants.
Man
Enlisted personnel of the armed forces
Officers and men.
Cow
A woman considered unpleasant in some way, particularly one considered nasty, stupid, fat, lazy, or difficult.
Man
A male representative, as of a country or company
Our man in Tokyo.
Cow
(mining) A chock: a wedge or brake used to stop a machine or car.
Man
A male servant or subordinate.
Cow
To intimidate; to daunt the spirits or courage of.
Con artists are not cowed by the law.
Man
(Informal) Used as a familiar form of address for a man
See here, my good man!.
Cow
The mature female of bovine animals.
Man
One who swore allegiance to a lord in the Middle Ages; a vassal.
Cow
The female of certain large mammals, as whales, seals, etc.
Man
(Games) Any of the pieces used in a board game, such as chess or checkers.
Cow
A chimney cap; a cowl
Man
(Nautical) A ship. Often used in combination
A merchantman.
A man-of-war.
Cow
A wedge, or brake, to check the motion of a machine or car; a chock.
Man
Often Man(Slang) A person or group felt to be in a position of power or authority. Used with the
"Their writing mainly concerns the street life—the pimp, the junky, the forces of drug addiction, exploitation at the hands of 'the man'" (Black World).
Cow
To depress with fear; to daunt the spirits or courage of; to overawe.
To vanquish a people already cowed.
THe French king was cowed.
Man
To supply with men, as for defense or service
Man a ship.
Cow
Female of domestic cattle:
`moo-cow' is a child's term
Man
To take stations at, as to defend or operate
Manned the guns.
Cow
Mature female of mammals of which the male is called `bull'
Man
To fortify or brace
Manned himself for the battle ahead.
Cow
A large unpleasant woman
Man
Used as an expletive to indicate intense feeling
Man! That was close.
Cow
Subdue, restrain, or overcome by affecting with a feeling of awe; frighten (as with threats)
Man
An adult male human.
The show is especially popular with middle-aged men.
Cow
Timid Person
Don't be such a cow; it's just a spider!
Man
(collective) All human males collectively: mankind.
Man
A human, a person regardless of gender, usually an adult. See usage notes.
Every man for himself
Man
(collective) All humans collectively: mankind, humankind, humanity. Sometimes capitalized as Man.
Man
A member of the genus Homo, especially of the species Homo sapiens.
Man
A male person, usually an adult; a (generally adult male) sentient being, whether human, supernatural, elf, alien, etc.
Man
An adult male who has, to an eminent degree, qualities considered masculine, such as strength, integrity, and devotion to family; a mensch.
Man
Manliness; the quality or state of being manly.
Man
A husband.
Man
A male lover; a boyfriend.
Man
A male enthusiast or devotee; a male who is very fond of or devoted to a specified kind of thing. Used as the last element of a compound.
Some people prefer apple pie, but me, I’m a cherry pie man.
Man
A person, usually male, who has duties or skills associated with a specified thing. Used as the last element of a compound.
I wanted to be a guitar man on a road tour, but instead I’m a flag man on a road crew.
Man
A person, usually male, who can fulfill one's requirements with regard to a specified matter.
Man
A male who belongs to a particular group: an employee, a student or alumnus, a representative, etc.
Man
An adult male servant.
Man
(historical) A vassal; a subject.
All the king's men
Man
A piece or token used in board games such as chess.
Man
(sports) A player on whom another is playing, with the intent of limiting their attacking impact.
Man
: I, we; construed in the third person.
Man
Any person, one
Man
(transitive) To supply (something) with staff or crew (of either sex).
The ship was manned with a small crew.
Man
(transitive) To take up position in order to operate (something).
Man the machine guns!
Man
To brace (oneself), to fortify or steel (oneself) in a manly way. Compare man up.
Man
To wait on, attend to or escort.
Man
To accustom (a raptor or other type of bird) to the presence of people.
Man
A human being; - opposed to beast.
These men went about wide, and man found they none,But fair country, and wild beast many [a] one.
The king is but a man, as I am; the violet smells to him as it doth to me.
'Tain't a fit night out for man nor beast!
Man
An adult male person; a grown-up male person, as distinguished from a woman or a child.
When I became a man, I put away childish things.
Ceneus, a woman once, and once a man.
Man
The human race; mankind.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion.
The proper study of mankind is man.
Man
The male portion of the human race.
Woman has, in general, much stronger propensity than man to the discharge of parental duties.
Man
One possessing in a high degree the distinctive qualities of manhood; one having manly excellence of any kind.
This was the noblest Roman of them all . . . the elementsSo mixed in him that Nature might stand upAnd say to all the world "This was a man!"
Man
An adult male servant; also, a vassal; a subject.
Like master, like man.
The vassal, or tenant, kneeling, ungirt, uncovered, and holding up his hands between those of his lord, professed that he did become his man from that day forth, of life, limb, and earthly honor.
Man
A term of familiar address at one time implying on the part of the speaker some degree of authority, impatience, or haste; as, Come, man, we 've no time to lose! In the latter half of the 20th century it became used in a broader sense as simply a familiar and informal form of address, but is not used in business or formal situations; as, hey, man! You want to go to a movie tonight?.
Man
A married man; a husband; - correlative to wife.
I pronounce that they are man and wife.
Every wife ought to answer for her man.
Man
One, or any one, indefinitely; - a modified survival of the Saxon use of man, or mon, as an indefinite pronoun.
A man can not make him laugh.
A man would expect to find some antiquities; but all they have to show of this nature is an old rostrum of a Roman ship.
Man
One of the piece with which certain games, as chess or draughts, are played.
Man
To supply with men; to furnish with a sufficient force or complement of men, as for management, service, defense, or the like; to guard; as, to man a ship, boat, or fort.
See how the surly Warwick mans the wall !
They man their boats, and all their young men arm.
Man
To furnish with strength for action; to prepare for efficiency; to fortify.
Man
To tame, as a hawk.
Man
To furnish with a servant or servants.
Man
To wait on as a manservant.
Man
An adult male person (as opposed to a woman);
There were two women and six men on the bus
Man
Someone who serves in the armed forces; a member of a military force;
Two men stood sentry duty
Man
The generic use of the word to refer to any human being;
It was every man for himself
Man
All of the inhabitants of the earth;
All the world loves a lover
She always used `humankind' because `mankind' seemed to slight the women
Man
Any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae
Man
A male subordinate;
The chief stationed two men outside the building
He awaited word from his man in Havana
Man
An adult male person who has a manly character (virile and courageous competent);
The army will make a man of you
Man
A male person who plays a significant role (husband or lover or boyfriend) in the life of a particular woman;
She takes good care of her man
Man
A manservant who acts as a personal attendant to his employer;
Jeeves was Bertie Wooster's man
Man
One of the British Isles in the Irish Sea
Man
Game equipment consisting of an object used in playing certain board games;
He taught me to set up the men on the chess board
He sacrificed a piece to get a strategic advantage
Man
Take charge of a certain job; occupy a certain work place;
Mr. Smith manned the reception desk in the morning
Man
Provide with men;
We cannot man all the desks
Man
Adult Male
The man walked down the street.
FAQs
Can "cow" be a verb?
Yes, "to cow" means to intimidate someone.
Are there gender-specific terms for "cow"?
Yes, a male is called a "bull," and a young cow is a "calf."
What's the primary context for "cow"?
Mostly agriculture and the dairy industry.
What's the primary context for "man"?
Human society, occupations, and roles.
Is "cow" only female?
Generally, yes. The male counterpart is called a "bull."
Can "man" be a verb?
Yes, "to man" means to staff or occupy a position.
Does "man" always refer to an adult male human?
No, "man" can also refer to humanity or the human species.
Is "cow" used metaphorically?
Less commonly, but it can describe a timid person.
Can "cow" or "man" be pluralized?
Yes, "cows" and "men" are the plural forms.
Are there gender-specific terms for "man"?
The female counterpart is usually called a "woman."
Is "cow" a universal term?
Generally, yes, though its importance varies in different cultures.
Can "cow" and "man" be used interchangeably?
No, they refer to different entities and cannot be used interchangeably.
Is "man" used metaphorically?
Yes, it's often used to represent humanity or courage.
Are "cow" and "man" nouns?
Yes, both primarily function as nouns.
Is "man" a universal term?
Generally, yes, but it has different connotations across cultures.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
