essex lion
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
A calf (young cow or bull).
Register: archaic, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
A calf; Essex being famous for calves, and chiefly supplying the London markets.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Sense 3
a calf. A calf is probably the only lively animal to be seen in a journey through Essex.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “essex lion” mean?
A calf (young cow or bull).
Is “essex lion” formal or informal?
essex lion is generally archaic, slang.