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Red Poll

Red Poll

8.1
A breed of cattle without horns that has a red-brown coat and gives milk and meat
  • noun
translation icon : Red Poll
  • The farm recently introduced a herd of Red Poll cattle to improve beef quality.

Examples

  • Many dairy farmers value the Red Poll for its high milk production and docile temperament.

  • At the agricultural show, a prize-winning Red Poll drew attention from visitors.

  • The Red Poll is known for its dual-purpose qualities.

  • Farmers appreciate Red Polls for their gentle temperament.

  • The farmer raised a herd of Red Poll cattle for both milk and meat production.

  • We visited a ranch that specializes in Red Poll cattle due to their impressive growth and quality.

  • Many farmers choose Red Poll cattle for their excellent temperament and adaptability.

Surface Forms

Red Poll singular
Red Polls plural

Morphology

red + poll

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.