sheep
sheep Lexical Profile
sheep Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A domesticated ruminant mammal of the genus Ovis with a thick woolly coat and (typically only in the male) curving horns, kept in flocks primarily for its wool, meat, and milk.
"The farmer trained his border collie to herd the flock of sheep across the lush green pasture."
A person who is easily influenced, docile, or lacking in independent thought, tending to blindly follow a crowd or authority.
"If we just accept these sweeping rule changes without asking any questions, we are acting like sheep."
Word Nuance & Usage
The noun 'sheep' operates with a zero plural, meaning the singular and plural forms are identical (e.g., one sheep, a flock of sheep). It is also frequently used metaphorically with a negative connotation to describe people who blindly conform.
• Rhymes for sheep
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'scēap', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'schaap' and German 'Schaf'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.