callow
pronunciation
How to pronounce callow in British English:
UK [ˈkæləʊ]
How to pronounce callow in American English:
US [ˈkæloʊ]
-
- Adjective:
- lacking experience of life
Word Origin
- callow
- callow: [OE] Old English calu meant ‘bald’. Eventually, the word came to be applied to young birds which as yet had no feathers, and by the late 16th century it had been extended metaphorically to any young inexperienced person or creature. It probably came, via West Germanic *kalwaz, from Latin calvus ‘bald’.=> calvary
- callow (adj.)
- Old English calu "bare, bald," from Proto-Germanic *kalwa- (cognates: Middle Dutch calu, Dutch kaal, Old High German kalo, German Kahl), from PIE root *gal- (1) "bald, naked" (cognates: Russian golyi "smooth, bald"). From young birds with no feathers, meaning extended to any young inexperienced thing or creature (1570s). Apparently not related to Latin calvus "bald."
Example
- 1. Italy 's technocratic class is quite germanic , observes julian callow of barclays capital , an investment bank .
- 2. Callow bowed and left the room .
- 3. I ahve much more callow gen concerning these topics and topics allied to it .
- 4. I am only a callow youth .
- 5. In the film he is portrayed very much as a callow youth .