Shep

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An informal name for a person who tends, guards and moves flocks of sheep as a livelihood
2. Informal British slang for a herder who looks after sheep grazing on hills or pasture
3. A casual term for the man or woman whose work is caring for a flock of sheep in the field

Etymology: The word "shep" is a pronunciation spelling of "shepherd," not a separate word with its own history, so its story is really the story of the common noun "shep" in the sense of a sheep herder. Its roots run back to the Old English "sceap," meaning sheep, joined to "herde," a keeper or guardian. Over centuries the second element wore down in speech, leaving the clipped form that British speakers still use casually. Spelling "shepherd" as "shep" reflects how the word is actually spoken in much of England, where the final syllables are swallowed. The written form has long been stable, while the informal version lives mainly in dialogue, dialect writing and affectionate nicknames for those who tend flocks.