ewe
UK[juː]US[juː]
n
a female sheep
Etymology
The word 'ewe' has a direct lineage from the Old English 'ēowu', a term for a female sheep. It is a classic example of a Germanic root word, related to similar terms in other Germanic languages like Dutch and German. Its Proto-Indo-European root is likely h₂ówis, meaning 'sheep', which also gave rise to the Latin 'ovis' and the English word 'ovine'. The modern English form 'ewe' has remained remarkably stable in both spelling and core meaning for over a millennium, representing a fundamental, unanalyzable term in the livestock lexicon.
Analysis
The word is a simplex. It is a direct borrowing from Old English 'ēowu', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'ooi' and German 'Aue'.
Examples
The farmer separated the ewe from the rest of the flock to tend to her newborn lamb.
A mature ewe can produce several pounds of wool each year.
The shepherd counted every ewe as they entered the pen for the night.