fowl

American  

[foul] / faʊl /

noun

PLURAL

fowls

PLURAL

fowl

1. the domestic or barnyard hen or rooster; chicken.

2. any of several other, usually gallinaceous, birds that are barnyard, domesticated, or wild, as the duck, turkey, or pheasant.

3. (in market and household use) a full-grown domestic fowl for food purposes, as distinguished from a chicken or young fowl.

4. the flesh or meat of a domestic fowl.

5. any bird (used chiefly in combination).

   waterfowl; wildfowl.

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verb (used without object)

1. to hunt or take wildfowl.

fowl British  

/ faʊl /

noun

1. See domestic fowl

2. any other bird, esp any gallinaceous bird, that is used as food or hunted as game See also waterfowl wildfowl

3. the flesh or meat of fowl, esp of chicken

4. an archaic word for any bird

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verb

1. (intr) to hunt or snare wildfowl

fowl Idioms  

1. see neither fish nor fowl.

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Etymology

Origin of fowl

First recorded before 900; Middle English foul, fuhel, Old English fugol, fugel; cognate with Old Saxon fugal, Gothic fugls, Old High German fogal ( German Vogel ), from Germanic fuglaz, a possible dissimilation of unattested fluglaz, from the same root as fly ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Either way, consumer advocates and other experts note that many retailers will run promotions on the fowl favorite when the holiday approaches as a way to get shoppers in the door.

From MarketWatch

Sir Keir's plan runs the risk of being neither fish nor fowl: too unambitious to win back Reform voters; but illiberal enough to alienate some on the left.

From BBC

Everyone everywhere — every culture in the world — loves perfectly seasoned, expertly cooked, just cool enough to pop in your mouth, audibly crunchy morsels of fried meat, fish, fowl or vegetables.

From Salon

Going back centuries, local Buganda cultural superstition also protected the elegant fowl, which was seen as a symbol of wealth, good fortune and longevity.

From BBC

Avian flu outbreaks date back centuries, when it was once known as "fowl plague," but this outbreak is unique.

From Salon

Related Words

• chicken
• goose
• hen
• pheasant