Methodological practice is based on complex linguistic research when semasiological and onomasiological aspects are combined. The article analyses the Lithuanian words for cow, bull and calf, in order to determine what conceptual features of animals semasiological and onomasiological lexical studies help to highlight. The main source of empirical material is the dictionary of the Lithuanian language. The analysis of complex semasiological and onomasiological lexemes shows that the language system identifies various conceptual features of cow, bull and calf. At the top of the animal hierarchy is the cow. The categorisation that emerges from the language system reflects the anthropocentric evaluation of the animals discussed.