buffalo \buf"falo\, n.; pl. buffaloes. sp. bufalo cf. it.
   bufalo, f. buffle, fr. l. bubalus, bufalus, a kind of
   african stag or gazelle; also, the buffalo or wild ox, fr.
   gr. ? buffalo, prob. fr. ? ox. see cow the animal, and cf.
   buff the color, and bubale.
   1. zool. a species of the genus bos or bubalus
      bubalus bubalus, originally from india, but now found
      in most of the warmer countries of the eastern continent.
      it is larger and less docile than the common ox, and is
      fond of marshy places and rivers.
      1913 webster

   2. zool. a very large and savage species of the same genus
      syncerus caffer syn. bubalus caffer found in south
      africa; -- called also cape buffalo.
      1913 webster

   3. zool. any species of wild ox.
      1913 webster

   4. zool. the bison of north america.
      1913 webster

   5. a buffalo robe. see buffalo robe, below.
      1913 webster

   6. zool. the buffalo fish. see buffalofish, below.
      1913 webster

   buffalo berry bot., a shrub of the upper missouri
      sherherdia argentea with acid edible red berries.

   buffalo bird zool., an african bird of the genus
      buphaga, of two species. these birds perch upon
      buffaloes and cattle, in search of parasites.

   buffalo bug, the carpet beetle. see under carpet.

   buffalo chips, dry dung of the buffalo, or bison, used for
      fuel. u.s.

   buffalo clover bot., a kind of clover trifolium
      reflexum and trifoliumsoloniferum found in the ancient
      grazing grounds of the american bison.

   buffalo cod zool., a large, edible, marine fish
      ophiodon elongatus of the northern pacific coast; --
      called also blue cod, and cultus cod.

   buffalo fly, or buffalo gnat zool., a small dipterous
      insect of the genus simulium, allied to the black fly of
      the north. it is often extremely abundant in the lower
      part of the mississippi valley and does great injury to
      domestic animals, often killing large numbers of cattle
      and horses. in europe the columbatz fly is a species with
      similar habits.

   buffalo grass bot., a species of short, sweet grass
      buchlo"e dactyloides, from two to four inches high,
      covering the prairies on which the buffaloes, or bisons,
      feed. u.s.

   buffalo nut bot., the oily and drupelike fruit of an
      american shrub pyrularia oleifera; also, the shrub
      itself; oilnut.

   buffalo robe, the skin of the bison of north america,
      prepared with the hair on; -- much used as a lap robe in
      sleighs.
      1913 webster buffalofish
see also:
buffaloes cow buff bubale bos bubalus 
bubalus bubalus syncerus caffer bubalus caffer cape buffalo buffalo robe 
buffalofish buffalo berry sherherdia argentea buffalo bird buphaga 
buffalo bug carpet buffalo chips buffalo clover trifolium reflexum 
trifoliumsoloniferum buffalo cod ophiodon elongatus blue cod cultus cod 
buffalo fly buffalo gnat simulium buffalo grass buchlo"e dactyloides 
buffalo nut pyrularia oleifera