Animal names: If a male chicken is called a rooster and a female chicken is called a hen, …a. What do you call a male cat? B. What do you call a female, mature horse? C. What do you call a young swan?

While many of us simply say "male cat," the specific term is a tom, or more formally, a tomcat. This name became widely popular after the 1760 publication of a book titled "The Life and Adventures of a Cat," in which the feline hero was named Tom. The name stuck, becoming the standard term. For extra trivia, the female equivalent isn't a "tabby" (which is a coat pattern), but a "queen," especially when she is used for breeding or is nursing kittens.

The names for horses are steeped in much older history. A mare is a mature female horse, typically over the age of three. The word itself has deep roots in Old English and other Germanic languages. Before she reaches maturity, a young female horse is known as a filly. These distinctions are crucial in the equestrian world for breeding and competition. A stallion is the term for a mature, uncastrated male horse.

For swans, the name for their young comes to us from Latin and French. A cygnet is a young swan, a term derived from the Latin word for swan, "cygnus." The "-et" at the end is a classic French diminutive suffix, meaning "little one." So, a cygnet is literally a "little swan." These fluffy, often gray babies eventually grow into their elegant parents: the male, called a cob, and the female, called a pen.