from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Buffalo \Buf"fa*lo\, n.; pl. {Buffaloes}. [Sp. bufalo (cf. It.
bufalo, F. buffle), fr. L. bubalus, bufalus, a kind of
African stag or gazelle; also, the buffalo or wild ox, fr.
Gr. ? buffalo, prob. fr. ? ox. See {Cow} the animal, and cf.
{Buff} the color, and {Bubale}.]
1. (Zool.) A species of the genus {Bos} or {Bubalus}
({Bubalus bubalus}), originally from India, but now found
in most of the warmer countries of the eastern continent.
It is larger and less docile than the common ox, and is
fond of marshy places and rivers.
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2. (Zool.) A very large and savage species of the same genus
({Syncerus Caffer} syn. {Bubalus Caffer}) found in South
Africa; -- called also {Cape buffalo}.
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3. (Zool.) Any species of wild ox.
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4. (Zool.) The bison of North America.
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5. A buffalo robe. See {Buffalo robe}, below.
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6. (Zool.) The buffalo fish. See {Buffalofish}, below.
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{Buffalo berry} (Bot.), a shrub of the Upper Missouri
({Sherherdia argentea}) with acid edible red berries.
{Buffalo bird} (Zool.), an African bird of the genus
{Buphaga}, of two species. These birds perch upon
buffaloes and cattle, in search of parasites.
{Buffalo bug}, the carpet beetle. See under {Carpet}.
{Buffalo chips}, dry dung of the buffalo, or bison, used for
fuel. [U.S.]
{Buffalo clover} (Bot.), a kind of clover ({Trifolium
reflexum} and {Trifoliumsoloniferum}) found in the ancient
grazing grounds of the American bison.
{Buffalo cod} (Zool.), a large, edible, marine fish
({Ophiodon elongatus}) of the northern Pacific coast; --
called also {blue cod}, and {cultus cod}.
{Buffalo fly}, or {Buffalo gnat} (Zool.), a small dipterous
insect of the genus {Simulium}, allied to the black fly of
the North. It is often extremely abundant in the lower
part of the Mississippi valley and does great injury to
domestic animals, often killing large numbers of cattle
and horses. In Europe the Columbatz fly is a species with
similar habits.
{Buffalo grass} (Bot.), a species of short, sweet grass
({Buchlo["e] dactyloides}), from two to four inches high,
covering the prairies on which the buffaloes, or bisons,
feed. [U.S.]
{Buffalo nut} (Bot.), the oily and drupelike fruit of an
American shrub ({Pyrularia oleifera}); also, the shrub
itself; oilnut.
{Buffalo robe}, the skin of the bison of North America,
prepared with the hair on; -- much used as a lap robe in
sleighs.
[1913 Webster] buffalofish