1
[perhaps short for cobswan lead swan] : a male swan
2
a
dialectal, England : a rounded mass, lump, or heap
b
: a mixture of unburned clay and straw used especially for constructing walls of small houses in England
3
: a crudely struck old Spanish coin of irregular shape
often used before another noun
a cob dollar
4
5
: a stocky short-legged riding horse

Examples of cob in a Sentence

She used a knife to cut the corn from the cob. We had corn on the cob.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cut kernels from cobs, keeping ribs of kernels intact as much as possible to yield about 2 cups. Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 14 Oct. 2024 Add corn cobs, cover, and boil until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 14 Oct. 2024 The corn is cooked in brown butter, and paired with a parmesan bomb of a broth created from leftover husks and cobs. Kaila Yu, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 The husks should be bright green, tight around the cob, and still have some moisture, rather than feel crispy, brown, or loose. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for cob 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cobbe leader of a group, head; probably akin to cub (young animal), Middle English kebbe old cow or sheep, Dutch dialect kabbe, kebbe piglet

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cob was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near cob

Cite this Entry

“Cob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cob. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

cob

noun
1
: a male swan
2
3
: a short-legged stocky horse

More from Merriam-Webster on cob

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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