# sow

> English word · Noun · IPA /saʊ/ · frequency rank #17,722

## Definitions
1. A female pig.
2. A female bear, she-bear.
3. A female guinea pig.
4. A channel that conducts molten metal to molds.
5. A mass of metal solidified in a mold.
6. A contemptible, often fat woman.
7. A sowbug.
8. A kind of covered shed, formerly used by besiegers in filling up and passing the ditch of a besieged place, sapping and mining the wall, etc.

## Etymology
From Middle English sowe, from Old English sugu, from Proto-West Germanic *sugu, from Proto-Germanic *sugō, probably from Proto-Indo-European *su(H)kéh₂, from *suH- (“pig”).
See also West Frisian sûch, Dutch zeug, Low German Söög, German Sau, Swedish sugga, Norwegian sugge; also Welsh hwch (“pig”), Sanskrit सूकर (sūkará, “swine, boar”); also Danish so, German Sau, Latin sūs, Tocharian B suwo, Ancient Greek ὗς (hûs), Albanian thi, Avestan 𐬵𐬏 (hū, “boar”). See also swine. Doublet of soor.

## Easily confused with
- **SS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-ss)
- **SP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sp)
- **su** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-su)
- **SW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sw)
- **SV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sv)
- **Sy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sy)
- **sun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sun)
- **sub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sub)
- **sum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sum)
- **spy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-spy)
- **sue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sue)
- **spa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-spa)
- **sox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sox)
- **soy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-soy)
- **SUV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-suv)
- **sup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sup)
- **STD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-std)
- **SQL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sql)
- **STA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-sta)
- **STR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sow-vs-str)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sow