[buf.fa.lo] n, pl -lo or -loes also -los often attrib [It bufalo & Sp bufalo, fr. LL bufalus, alter. of L bubalus, fr. Gk boubalos African gazelle] (1562) 1: any of several wild bovids: as a: water buffalo b: cape buffalo c (1): any of a genus (Bison) of bovids; esp: a large shaggy-maned No. American bovid (B. bison) that has short horns and heavy forequarters with a large muscular hump and that was formerly abundant on the central and western plains--compare wisent (2): the flesh of the buffalo used as food
2: any of several suckers (genus Ictiobus) found mostly in the Mississippi valley--called also buffalofish
[2]buffalo vt -loed ; -lo.ing (ca. 1896): bewilder, baffle