large shaggy-haired brown bison of North American plains
"The herd of buffalo migrated across the vast prairie, their massive bodies kicking up dust as they moved toward the waterhole."
a city on Lake Erie in western New York (near Niagara Falls)
"We drove north from Cleveland to visit our grandparents in Buffalo for the weekend."
meat from an American bison
"The butcher recommended ordering buffalo wings for a smoky, lean flavor that differs significantly from chicken."
any of several Old World animals resembling oxen including, e.g., water buffalo; Cape buffalo
"The farmer guided his herd of Cape buffalo across the river to reach the fresh grazing land."
Any of the Old World mammals of the family Bovidae, such as the Cape buffalo, Syncerus caffer, or the water buffalo Bubalus bubalis.
"The farmer watched the herd of African buffalo graze near the riverbank before they crossed to the other side."
In plain English: A buffalo is a large, powerful wild cow with thick fur and horns that lives in grassy areas.
"The herd of buffalo grazed peacefully in the open field."
Usage: Use "buffalo" as a noun to refer to large bovine animals native to Africa and Asia, such as the Cape buffalo or water buffalo. Do not confuse this with the North American bison, which is often incorrectly called a buffalo in casual speech but is biologically distinct.
intimidate or overawe
"The seasoned negotiator tried to buffalo the new hire into signing the unfavorable contract, but she refused to be intimidated."
To hunt buffalo.
"The hunters packed their gear early, ready to head out and buffalo the herd before the storm hit."
In plain English: To buffalo someone means to confuse or trick them into doing something they wouldn't normally do.
"He buffed the car until the paint shone brightly."
Usage: In everyday usage, to buffalo someone means to confuse or deceive them through trickery rather than hunting wild animals. Use this verb when describing an attempt to mislead another person into believing something false.
A city, the county seat of Erie County, New York, very near Niagara Falls.
"We spent our vacation day in Buffalo before heading over to see the mist at Niagara Falls."
The word buffalo entered English via Portuguese or Spanish, tracing its roots back to the Ancient Greek term for "wild ox." Although it shares a distant ancestor with words like bubale and buffle, it arrived in English as a direct loanword rather than through those specific doublets.