Red Poll
- noun
- The farm recently introduced a herd of Red Poll cattle to improve beef quality.
Examples
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Many dairy farmers value the Red Poll for its high milk production and docile temperament.
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At the agricultural show, a prize-winning Red Poll drew attention from visitors.
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The Red Poll is known for its dual-purpose qualities.
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Farmers appreciate Red Polls for their gentle temperament.
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The farmer raised a herd of Red Poll cattle for both milk and meat production.
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We visited a ranch that specializes in Red Poll cattle due to their impressive growth and quality.
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Many farmers choose Red Poll cattle for their excellent temperament and adaptability.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'red' clearly signals color and 'poll' can mean the top of the head, so a learner might infer something like 'red-headed'—there is a partial, surface-level connection to the constituents. However, the full meaning (a specific hornless breed of cattle, with dual-purpose qualities) is not predictable from those words alone and relies on specialized breed-naming usage (and the related term 'polled' meaning hornless). Because there is some obvious compositionality but the crucial breed-specific and hornless sense is not derivable, this is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Red Poll gets its name from how the cattle look: red for their reddish-brown colour and poll from an old word for the 'top of the head'. Because these cows are usually 'without horns', the name came to mean a red, hornless breed used for milk and beef today.