dark meat

American  

noun

1. meat that is dark in appearance after cooking, especially a leg or thigh of chicken or turkey (distinguished from white meat).

2. Slang: Vulgar. a Black person, considered as a sexual partner.

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Etymology

Origin of dark meat

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60

Compare meaning

How does dark-meat compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• dark meat vs. light meat

Example Sentences

Of course, chicken thighs and dark meat in general have been a celebrated ingredient of American cooking and foodways for centuries, including in Southern and Black American traditions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

They look like a cross between an otter and a gopher but they taste something like a rabbit or dark meat from turkey.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2025

If dark meat is your preference, turkey thighs and drumsticks are an option.

From Salon • Nov. 28, 2024

During their visit the day before his execution, Hancock had seemed mostly fixated on his final meal, that one bucket of dark meat chicken.

From New York Times • Jan. 21, 2024

“No wait, dark meat, please,” I said, nervous.

From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds