A hybrid animal that is a cross between a domestic cow and an American bison, bred for meat production.
Blend of 'beef' (cattle) and 'buffalo' (bison), created in the 20th century as an agricultural portmanteau. The word first appeared in the 1950s when farmers began deliberately breeding these hybrids.
Beefalo are a perfect example of portmanteau words—'brunch,' 'smog,' and 'beefalo' are all modern blends showing how English creates words for new inventions by mushing together existing ones. They're also leaner than beef but taste similar!
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