fowl

The definition of a fowl is a bird used for food.

(noun)

  1. A hen is an example of fowl.
  2. Chicken is an example of fowl.

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See fowl in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. fowls or fowl

  1. any bird: now only in combination: wildfowl
  2. any of various domestic birds used as food; specif.,
    1. the chicken
    2. the duck, goose, turkey, etc.
    3. a full-grown chicken, as distinguished from a springer, etc.
  3. the flesh of any of these birds used for food

Origin: ME foule, foghel < OE fugol, akin to Ger vogel, bird < Gmc *fuglaz, altered by dissimulation < *fluglaz < *flug-, *fleug- < IE *pleuk- > fly

intransitive verb

to catch, trap, hunt, or shoot wild birds for food or sport

Related Forms:

See fowl in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. fowl fowl or fowls
  1. Any of various birds of the order Galliformes, especially the common, widely domesticated chicken (Gallus gallus).
  2. a. A bird, such as the duck, goose, turkey, or pheasant, that is used as food or hunted as game.
    b. The flesh of such birds used as food.
  3. A bird of any kind.
intransitive verb fowled, fowl·ing, fowls fowls
To hunt, trap, or shoot wildfowl.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English foul

Origin: , from Old English fugol; see pleu- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • fowlˈer noun

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