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.
Be generous with the application, making sure each cob is evenly coated. Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 5 June 2025 Say hello to this nifty peeler from Oxo that removes each kernel of corn straight from the cob with ease. Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 14 May 2025 The remains were wrapped in textiles and buried alongside corn cobs; pottery fragments; and artifacts made of bone, stone and wood, reports Live Science’s Kristina Killgrove. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025 Kids were on shucking duty, while the adults were in charge of cutting the corn off the cob. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cob. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

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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