Home / Dictionary / Cote

Cote Common

Cote has 5 different meanings across 2 categories:

Noun · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

a small shelter for domestic animals (as sheep or pigeons)

"The shepherd repaired the weathered cote to protect his flock from the harsh winter wind."

2

A cottage or hut.

"The old shepherd cote stood quietly at the edge of the valley, sheltering his flock from the wind."

Verb
1

Obsolete form of quote.

"The swift hound coted the fleeing deer, passing it just beyond the forest line."

2

To go side by side with; hence, to pass by; to outrun and get before.

In plain English: To cote means to cover something with a protective layer of wax, oil, or paint so it doesn't get damaged by water or weather.

"The sheep coted in the sheltered valley during the storm."

Usage: This archaic verb is rarely used in modern English and should be avoided in everyday writing or speech. Instead of attempting this obsolete term for describing movement alongside someone else, use contemporary synonyms like "pass," "outrun," or simply describe the action directly.

Proper Noun
1

A surname, from French​.

"The family name Cote has its origins in a region of France where several prominent ancestors once lived."

Example Sentences
"The sheep coted in the sheltered valley during the storm." verb
"Cote your wool before it gets too tangled during the harvest season." verb
"You should cote the raw edges of this fabric to prevent fraying." verb
"Please cote these yarns with oil to keep them soft and manageable." verb
Related Terms
Broader Terms (hypernyms)

Origin

The word "cote" comes from Middle English and originally meant a small house or shelter, similar to its modern definition. It traveled into English as a doublet of "cot," sharing a distant relationship with the word "cottage."

Rhyming Words
Compare
Cote vs