Phrase guide

cash cow

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A product, service, or enterprise that generates ongoing, high net free cash flows.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: moneymaker, money-spinner, golden goose, milch cow

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a project that generates a continuous flow of money

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: moneymaker, money-spinner

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: project, projection

History

Etymology

An allusion to the dairy cow, who once acquired (and having given birth) may be milked on an ongoing basis.

Across languages

Translations

31 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 搖錢樹 /摇钱树 (yáoqiánshù) — something that generates free cash flow
  • Chinese Mandarin: 肥肉 (féiròu) — something that generates free cash flow
  • Chinese Mandarin: 肥羊 (féiyáng) — something that generates free cash flow
  • Danish: pengemaskine — something that generates free cash flow
  • Danish: malkeko — something that generates free cash flow
  • Dutch: melkkoe — something that generates free cash flow
  • Finnish: lypsylehmä — something that generates free cash flow
  • Finnish: rahasampo — something that generates free cash flow
  • French: vache à lait — something that generates free cash flow
  • German: Goldesel — something that generates free cash flow
  • Italian: mucca da mungere — something that generates free cash flow
  • Norwegian Bokmål: melkeku — something that generates free cash flow
  • Norwegian Bokmål: mjølkeku — something that generates free cash flow
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: mjølkeku — something that generates free cash flow
  • Polish: dojna krowa — something that generates free cash flow
  • Polish: żyła złota — something that generates free cash flow
  • Russian: дойная коро́ва (dojnaja koróva) — something that generates free cash flow
  • Spanish: mina — something that generates free cash flow
  • Swedish: kassako — something that generates free cash flow
  • Dutch: melkkoe — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • Finnish: lypsylehmä — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • Finnish: rahasampo — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • French: vache à lait — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • German: Melkkuh — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • German: Milchkuh — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • German: Dukatenscheißer — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • Persian: گاو نقدی (gāv-e naqdi) — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • Polish: dojna krowa — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • Polish: żyła złota — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • Spanish: mina de oro — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money
  • Turkish: sağmal inek — someone or something which is a dependable source of appreciable amounts of money