Cow Pie
In Southern, Appalachian, and rural American speech, a "cow pie" is a flat, round pile of cow manure - named for its shape. The term’s often used literally on farms and jokingly elsewhere for anything messy, smelly, or worthless.
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synonyms: cow patty, manure, dung, droppings
Hillbilly Dude Says...
If you're anywhere near a farm out in the country, you'll hear 'cow pie.' Hillbilly Dude Says...
If you're anywhere near a farm out in the country, you'll hear 'cow pie.' Pronunciation
[KOW pahy]
/kaʊ paɪ/
/kaʊ paɪ/
Meaning & Usage
- Cow manure; something messy or worthless (noun)
Mae:
You best watch your step in that field.
You best watch your step in that field.
Earl:
Too late - I done found a cow pie.
Too late - I done found a cow pie.
Hazel:
That idea’s a cow pie if I ever heard one.
That idea’s a cow pie if I ever heard one.variations: cow patty, cow chip, pasture pie
Origin and Etymology
The term likely arose in the early 1900s, describing cow manure flattened by hoof or heat until it resembled a pie shape. It’s part of a larger set of rural euphemisms that use humor to make unpleasant realities sound folksy - similar to "cow patty" or "pasture pie." Found throughout farming regions, especially in the South and Midwest.
Usage Notes
Common in rural and humorous speech.
- Used both literally and figuratively.
- "Cow patty" is the slightly more polite version.
- Appears in jokes, old TV comedies, and Western slang.