cove

== English == === Pronunciation === enPR: kōv (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /kəʊv/ (General American) IPA(key): /koʊv/ (Australian) IPA(key): /kəʉv/ (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /kɐʉv/ (Scotland) IPA(key): /kov/ (Wales, without the toe–tow merger) IPA(key): /koːv/ Rhymes: -əʊv Homophone: Cobh === Etymology 1 === From Middle English cove, from Old English cofa (“chamber; den”), from Proto-West Germanic *kobō, from Proto-Germanic *kubô. Cognate with Dutch koof (“cove”), German Low German Koov (“small room”), German Koben (“nook, shed”), Icelandic kofi (“hut, shack”). This word has probably survived as long as it has due to its coincidental phonetic resemblance to the unrelated word English cave. Also unrelated to Spanish cueva, which itself is a cognate of cave. ==== Noun ==== cove (plural coves) (now uncommon) A hollow in a rock; a cave or cavern. [from 9th c.] (architecture) A concave vault or archway, especially the arch of a ceiling. [from 16th c.] A small coastal inlet, especially one having high cliffs protecting vessels from prevailing winds; bight. [from 16th c.] (US) A strip of prairie extending into woodland. (Cumbria) A recess or sheltered area on the slopes of a mountain. [from 19th c.] (nautical) The wooden roof of the stern gallery of an old sailing warship. [from 19th c.] (nautical) A thin line, sometimes gilded, along a yacht's strake below deck level. [from 19th c.] (Appalachia) A valley between two ridges, especially one that, opening to the south and east, is protected by ridges on the north and west from common winter storm tracks. Coordinate terms: hollow, draft ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== cove (third-person singular simple present coves, present participle coving, simple past and past participle coved) (architecture) To arch over; to build in a hollow concave form; to make in the form of a cove. === Etymology 2 === Attested in Britain a. 1570, from Romani kodo (“this one, him”, pronounced KOTHO /koðo/, ultimately undergoing th-fronting to KOV /kov/ in English), or perhaps directly from Romani kova (“that person”). ==== Noun ==== cove (plural coves) (thieves' cant, dated, UK, particularly Lewis) Man; fellow. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:man Antonyms: covess, mort, blone; see also Thesaurus:woman (Australia and Polari) Friend; mate. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:friend Antonyms: see Thesaurus:enemy ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 3 === Borrowed from French couver, from Old French cover (“to hatch (eggs)”), from Latin cubāre (“to lie down, recline; to incubate; to be broody”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb- (“to lie down”). ==== Verb ==== cove (third-person singular simple present coves, present participle coving, simple past and past participle coved) (ambitransitive, obsolete) Of a bird or other animal: to brood, cover, incubate, or sit over (eggs). Synonym: covie ===== Alternative forms ===== couve (obsolete) === References === === Anagrams === Voce == Catalan == === Alternative forms === covo (Northern, Mallorca, Menorca) === Etymology === Inherited from Latin cophinus, from Ancient Greek κόφινος (kóphinos, “basket”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Northern) [ˈko̞.βə] IPA(key): (Balearic) [ˈkɔ.və] IPA(key): (Central) [ˈkɔ.βə] IPA(key): (Valencia) [ˈkɔ.ve] IPA(key): (Northwestern) [ˈkɔ.βe] === Noun === cove m (plural coves or còvens) a large basket ==== Derived terms ==== a coves covenada === Further reading === “cove”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 == Italian == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈko.ve/ Rhymes: -ove Hyphenation: có‧ve === Noun === cove f plural of cova === Anagrams === voce