I. ˈbəfəˌlō also -f(ˌ)lō noun
( plural buffalo or buffaloes also buffalos )
Etymology: Italian bufalo & Spanish búfalo, from Late Latin bufalus, alteration of Latin bubalus buffalo, African gazelle, from Greek boubalos African gazelle, irregular from bous ox, cow — more at cow
1. : any of several wild oxen: as
a. : the water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ) originally from India but now domesticated, developed into several breeds, and used as draft and milch animals in most of the warmer countries of Asia and adjacent islands, being larger and less docile than the common ox and fond of marshy places and rivers
b. : cape buffalo
c. : a member of the genus Bison ; especially : a large shaggy-maned No. American wild ox ( B. bison ) having short horns and heavy forequarters with a large muscular hump formed by the withers and prolonged spinal processes of the ribs — called also bison
d. : anoa
2. : something derived from the American buffalo:
a. : a coverlet or rug of buffalo skin
b. : a horn (as for powder) made from the horn of a buffalo
3. : buffalo fish
4. : a large heavily armored and armed amphibious military vehicle
5. : a tap-dance step suggestive of a buffalo's pawing
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II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
: bamboozle , bewilder , overawe , baffle
he tried to buffalo me at first meeting but I soon caught on to his tricks
III. adjective
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: from Buffalo, N.Y.
: of or from the city of Buffalo, N.Y.
Buffalo factories
: of the kind or style prevalent in Buffalo