Bull vs. Buck: What's the Difference?
By Harlon Moss & Janet White || Updated on May 23, 2024
A bull is an adult male bovine, typically uncastrated, used for breeding or meat, while a buck is an adult male deer, antelope, goat, or rabbit, often noted for its antlers or aggressive behavior during mating season.
Key Differences
A bull is an adult male bovine, commonly associated with cattle. Bulls are typically uncastrated and used for breeding purposes or meat production. A buck, on the other hand, refers to an adult male of several animal species, including deer, antelope, goats, and rabbits. Bucks are often recognized for their antlers, which they use in fights during the mating season.
In terms of physical characteristics, a bull is typically much larger and heavier than a buck. Bulls have a robust build and are bred for strength and endurance, whereas bucks are usually more agile and are adapted for quick movement in their natural habitats. Behaviorally, bulls are known for their territorial and aggressive nature, especially when protecting their herd or during mating. Bucks also exhibit aggression, particularly during the rutting season when they compete for mates, but their aggression is often limited to specific periods.
The environments in which these animals live also differ significantly. Bulls are domesticated and found on farms and ranches, whereas bucks are usually wild animals found in forests, grasslands, and other natural settings.
The terminology reflects their uses and roles in agriculture and nature. Bulls play a crucial role in livestock farming for breeding and meat, whereas bucks are important in wildlife ecosystems and for their role in biodiversity.
Comparison Chart
Species
Bovine
Deer, antelope, goat, rabbit
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Physical Build
Large, muscular
Smaller, agile
Primary Habitat
Farms, ranches
Forests, grasslands
Aggression
Territorial, protective
Aggressive during rutting season
Use
Breeding, meat production
Mating, maintaining biodiversity
Bull and Buck Definitions
Bull
An adult male bovine, usually uncastrated.
The farmer bought a new bull for breeding purposes.
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Buck
An adult male antelope, goat, or rabbit.
The buck led his herd across the grassy plain.
Bull
A large, aggressive male animal of the bovine family.
The bull charged at the intruder to protect its herd.
Buck
To leap or spring, typically referring to animals.
The horse began to buck wildly when startled.
Bull
A symbol of strength and virility.
The sculpture of a bull represented power and resilience.
Buck
To resist or oppose something.
He decided to buck the trend and start his own business.
Bull
An adult male bovine mammal.
Buck
A male deer.
Bull
The uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle.
Buck
The male of various other mammals, such as antelopes, kangaroos, mice, or rabbits.
Bull
The adult male of certain other large animals, such as alligators, elephants, moose, or whales.
Buck
Antelope considered as a group
A herd of buck.
Bull
An exceptionally large, strong, and aggressive person.
Buck
A robust or high-spirited young man.
Bull
An optimist, especially regarding business conditions.
Buck
A fop.
Bull
A person who buys commodities or securities in anticipation of a rise in prices or who tries by speculative purchases to effect such a rise.
Buck
(Offensive) A Native American or black man.
Bull
(Slang) A police officer or detective.
Buck
An act or instance of bucking
A horse that unseated its rider on the first buck.
Bull
Foolish, deceitful, or boastful language.
Buck
Buckskin.
Bull
Insolent talk or behavior.
Buck
Bucks Buckskin breeches or shoes.
Bull
An official document issued by the pope and sealed with a bulla.
Buck
A sawhorse or sawbuck.
Bull
The bulla used to seal such a document.
Buck
A leather-covered frame used for gymnastic vaulting.
Bull
A gross blunder in logical speech or expression.
Buck
(Informal) A dollar.
Bull
See Taurus.
Buck
(Informal) An amount of money
Working overtime to make an extra buck.
Bull
To push; force.
Buck
A large round amount of currency, especially a hundred dollars.
Bull
To push ahead or through forcefully
"He bulls through the press horde that encircles the car" (Scott Turow).
Buck
A hundred of some other units, especially miles per hour or pounds
Was doing a buck twenty out on the Interstate.
A boxer weighing in at a buck fifty.
Bull
Male.
Buck
(Games) A counter or marker formerly passed from one poker player to another to indicate an obligation, especially one's turn to deal.
Bull
Large and strong like a bull.
Buck
(Informal) Obligation to account for something; responsibility
Tried to pass the buck for the failure to his boss.
Bull
Characterized by rising prices
A bull market.
Buck
To leap upward while arching the back
The horse bucked in fright.
Bull
An adult male of domesticated cattle or oxen.
Buck
To charge with the head lowered; butt.
Bull
Specifically, one that is uncastrated.
Buck
To make sudden jerky movements; jolt
The motor bucked and lurched before it finally ran smoothly.
Bull
A male of domesticated cattle or oxen of any age.
Buck
To resist stubbornly and obstinately; balk.
Bull
Any adult male bovine.
Buck
(Informal) To strive with determination
Bucking for a promotion.
Bull
An adult male of certain large mammals, such as whales, elephants, camels and seals.
Buck
To throw or toss by bucking
Buck off a rider.
Bucked the packsaddle off its back.
Bull
A large, strong man.
Buck
To oppose directly and stubbornly; go against
“Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the country, is bucking the trend” (American Demographics).
Bull
(finance) An investor who buys (commodities or securities) in anticipation of a rise in prices.
Buck
(Football) To charge into (an opponent's line) carrying the ball.
Bull
(slang) A policeman.
Buck
To butt against with the head.
Bull
(US) Specifically, a policeman employed in a railroad yard.
Buck
To pass (a task or duty) to another, especially so as to avoid responsibility
"We will see the stifling of initiative and the increased bucking of decisions to the top" (Winston Lord).
Bull
A crown coin; its value, {{5 shillings.}}
Buck
Of the lowest rank in a specified military category
A buck private.
A buck sergeant.
Bull
(UK) bullseye
Buck
A male deer, antelope, sheep, goat, rabbit, hare, and sometimes the male of other animals such as the hamster, ferret and shad.
Bull
The central portion of a target, inside the inner and magpie.
Buck
(US) An uncastrated sheep, a ram.
Bull
A man or boy (derived from the Philadelphia English pronunciation of “boy”, which is practically a homophone of “bull”)
Buck
A young buck; an adventurous, impetuous, dashing, or high-spirited young man.
Bull
Clipping of bullshit
Buck
A fop or dandy.
Bull
A man who has sex with another man's wife or girlfriend with the consent of both.
Buck
A black or Native American man.
Bull
(obsolete) A drink made by pouring water into a cask that previously held liquor.
Buck
A unit of a particular currency
Bull
A papal bull, an official document or edict from the Pope.
Buck
A dollar (one hundred cents).
Can I borrow five bucks?
Bull
A seal affixed to a document, especially a document from the Pope.
Buck
A rand (currency unit).
Bull
A lie.
Buck
A euro.
Bull
Nonsense.
Buck
Money.
Corporations will do anything to make a buck.
Bull
(obsolete) A bubble.
Buck
(finance) One million dollars.
Bull
Large and strong, like a bull.
Buck
One hundred.
The police caught me driving a buck forty [140 miles per hour] on the freeway.
That skinny guy? C'mon, he can't weigh more than a buck and a quarter [125 pounds].
Bull
(of large mammals) Adult male.
A bull elephant
Buck
Clipping of buckshot
He loaded the shotgun with two rounds of double-ought buck.
Bull
(finance) Of a market in which prices are rising (compare bear).
Buck
An implement the body of which is likened to a male sheep’s body due maintaining a stiff-legged position as if by stubbornness.
Bull
Stupid.
Buck
The body of a post mill, particularly in East Anglia. See Wikipedia:Windmill machinery.
Bull
To force oneself (in a particular direction).
He bulled his way in.
Buck
A frame on which firewood is sawed; a sawhorse; a sawbuck.
Bull
To be in heat; to be ready for mating with a bull.
Buck
A leather-covered frame used for gymnastic vaulting.
Bull
To mate with a cow or heifer.
Buck
A wood or metal frame used by automotive customizers and restorers to assist in the shaping of sheet metal bodywork.
Bull
To endeavour to raise the market price of.
To bull railroad bonds
Buck
(dated) An object of various types, placed on a table to indicate turn or status; such as a brass object, placed in rotation on a US Navy wardroom dining table to indicate which officer is to be served first, or an item passed around a poker table indicating the dealer or placed in the pot to remind the winner of some privilege or obligation when his or her turn to deal next comes.
Bull
To endeavour to raise prices in.
To bull the market
Buck
Synonym of buck dance.
Bull
To publish in a Papal bull
Buck
Synonym of mule
Bull
To mock; to cheat.
Buck
A kind of large marble in children's games.
Bull
(intransitive) To lie, to tell untruths.
Buck
(Scotland) The beech tree.
Bull
To polish boots to a high shine.
Buck
Lye or suds in which cloth is soaked in the operation of bleaching, or in which clothes are washed.
Bull
The male of any species of cattle (Bovidæ); hence, the male of any large quadruped, as the elephant; also, the male of the whale.
Buck
The cloth or clothes soaked or washed.
Bull
One who, or that which, resembles a bull in character or action.
Buck
(intransitive) To copulate, as bucks and does.
Bull
Taurus, the second of the twelve signs of the zodiac.
At last from Aries rolls the bounteous sun,And the bright Bull receives him.
Buck
(intransitive) To bend; buckle.
Bull
A ludicrously false statement; nonsense. Also used as an expletive.
Buck
To leap upward arching its back, coming down with head low and forelegs stiff, forcefully kicking its hind legs upward, often in an attempt to dislodge or throw a rider or pack.
Bull
A seal. See Bulla.
Buck
To throw (a rider or pack) by bucking.
Bull
A letter, edict, or respect, of the pope, written in Gothic characters on rough parchment, sealed with a bulla, and dated "a die Incarnationis," i. e., "from the day of the Incarnation." See Apostolical brief, under Brief.
A fresh bull of Leo's had declared how inflexible the court of Rome was in the point of abuses.
Buck
To subject to a mode of punishment which consists of tying the wrists together, passing the arms over the bent knees, and putting a stick across the arms and in the angle formed by the knees.
Bull
A grotesque blunder in language; an apparent congruity, but real incongruity, of ideas, contained in a form of expression; so called, perhaps, from the apparent incongruity between the dictatorial nature of the pope's bulls and his professions of humility.
And whereas the papist boasts himself to be a Roman Catholic, it is a mere contradiction, one of the pope's bulls, as if he should say universal particular; a Catholic schimatic.
Buck
To resist obstinately; oppose or object strongly.
The vice president bucked at the board's latest solution.
Bull
Of or pertaining to a bull; resembling a bull; male; large; fierce.
Buck
To move or operate in a sharp, jerking, or uneven manner.
The motor bucked and sputtered before dying completely.
Bull
To be in heat; to manifest sexual desire as cows do.
Buck
To overcome or shed (e.g., an impediment or expectation), in pursuit of a goal; to force a way through despite (an obstacle); to resist or proceed against.
The plane bucked a strong headwind.
Our managers have to learn to buck the trend and do the right thing for their employees.
John is really bucking the odds on that risky business venture. He's doing quite well.
Bull
Uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
Buck
(riveting) To press a reinforcing device (bucking bar) against (the force of a rivet) in order to absorb vibration and increase expansion. See Wikipedia: Rivet:Installation.
Bull
A large and strong and heavyset man;
He was a bull of a man
A thick-skinned bruiser ready to give as good as he got
Buck
(forestry) To saw a felled tree into shorter lengths, as for firewood.
Bull
Obscene words for unacceptable behavior;
I put up with a lot of bullshit from that jerk
What he said was mostly bull
Buck
(electronics) To output a voltage that is lower than the input voltage. See Wikipedia: Buck converter
Bull
A serious and ludicrous blunder;
He made a bad bull of the assignment
Buck
To soak, steep or boil in lye or suds, as part of the bleaching process.
Bull
Uncomplimentary terms for a policeman
Buck
To wash (clothes) in lye or suds, or, in later usage, by beating them on stones in running water.
Bull
An investor with an optimistic market outlook; an investor who expects prices to rise and so buys now for resale later
Buck
(mining) To break up or pulverize, as ores.
Bull
(astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Taurus
Buck
Lye or suds in which cloth is soaked in the operation of bleaching, or in which clothes are washed.
Bull
The second sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about April 20 to May 20
Buck
The cloth or clothes soaked or washed.
Bull
The center of a target
Buck
The male of deer, especially fallow deer and antelopes, or of goats, sheep, hares, and rabbits.
Bull
A formal proclamation issued by the pope (usually written in antiquated characters and sealed with a leaden bulla)
Buck
A gay, dashing young fellow; a fop; a dandy.
The leading bucks of the day.
Bull
Mature male of various mammals of which the female is called `cow'; e.g. whales or elephants or especially cattle
Buck
A male Indian or negro.
Bull
Push or force;
He bulled through his demands
Buck
A frame on which firewood is sawed; a sawhorse; a sawbuck.
Bull
Try to raise the price of stocks through speculative buying
Buck
The beech tree.
Bull
Talk through one's hat;
The politician was not well prepared for the debate and faked it
Buck
To soak, steep, or boil, in lye or suds; - a process in bleaching.
Bull
Advance in price;
Stocks were bulling
Buck
To wash (clothes) in lye or suds, or, in later usage, by beating them on stones in running water.
Bull
A stock market term for an investor who expects prices to rise.
The bull investor bought more shares anticipating a market upturn.
Buck
To break up or pulverize, as ores.
Bull
In sports, a term for a forceful and dominant player.
The football team's defensive lineman was a real bull on the field.
Buck
To copulate, as bucks and does.
Buck
To spring with quick plunging leaps, descending with the fore legs rigid and the head held as low down as possible; - said of a vicious horse or mule.
Buck
To subject to a mode of punishment which consists in tying the wrists together, passing the arms over the bent knees, and putting a stick across the arms and in the angle formed by the knees.
Buck
A gymnastic horse without pommels and with one end elongated; used lengthwise for vaulting
Buck
A piece of paper money worth one dollar
Buck
United States author whose novels drew on her experiences as a missionary in China (1892-1973)
Buck
A framework for holding wood that is being sawed
Buck
Mature male of various mammals (especially deer or antelope)
Buck
To strive with determination;
John is bucking for a promotion
Buck
Resist;
Buck the trend
Buck
Move quickly and violently;
The car tore down the street
He came charging into my office
Buck
Jump vertically, with legs stiff and back arched;
The yung filly bucked
Buck
Of the lowest rank in a category;
A buck private
Buck
An adult male deer.
The hunter spotted a buck near the edge of the forest.
Buck
A term for a young man in informal contexts.
The young buck was eager to prove himself at work.
FAQs
Are bulls aggressive?
Yes, bulls can be very territorial and aggressive, especially when protecting their herd or during mating.
What is a bull?
A bull is an adult male bovine, usually uncastrated, used for breeding or meat production.
What is a buck?
A buck is an adult male deer, antelope, goat, or rabbit, often noted for its antlers and aggressive behavior during mating season.
Where do bucks live?
Bucks live in various natural habitats such as forests, grasslands, and other wild areas.
Do bucks have antlers?
Yes, most male deer (bucks) grow antlers, which they use in fights during the mating season.
Where are bulls commonly found?
Bulls are typically found on farms and ranches where they are raised for breeding and meat production.
What is the primary use of a bull in agriculture?
Bulls are primarily used for breeding and meat production in agriculture.
Are bucks wild animals?
Yes, bucks are typically wild animals found in natural habitats.
Can bulls be used in sports?
Yes, bulls are often used in sports like bullfighting and rodeos.
What roles do bucks play in the ecosystem?
Bucks contribute to biodiversity and the health of their ecosystems through their mating behaviors and roles in food chains.
Are bulls domesticated?
Yes, bulls are domesticated animals raised on farms and ranches.
Do bucks participate in any human-related activities?
Bucks are primarily wild, but they can be hunted or observed in wildlife activities.
How do bucks differ from does?
Bucks are male, often larger and with antlers, whereas does are female and usually do not have antlers.
What is the lifespan of a buck?
Bucks can live around 10-12 years in the wild, though this varies by species.
Can bucks be domesticated?
Bucks are typically wild and not domesticated, though some species like goats can be kept as livestock.
What is the lifespan of a bull?
Bulls can live up to 15 years, depending on their environment and care.
How do bulls differ from cows?
Bulls are male, usually larger and more muscular, whereas cows are female and typically smaller and used for milk production.
What is the temperament of a bull?
Bulls are often aggressive and territorial.
What is the temperament of a buck?
Bucks can be aggressive, especially during the rutting season.
Can bulls be trained?
Bulls can be trained to some extent, but they are generally more difficult to handle than cows.
About Author
Written by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
Co-written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
