gizzard
[ giz-erd ]
/ ˈgɪz ərd /
noun Zoology.
Also called ventriculus. a thick-walled, muscular pouch in the lower stomach of many birds and reptiles that grinds food, often with the aid of ingested stones or grit.
Also called gastric mill. a similar structure in the foregut of arthropods and several other invertebrates, often lined with chitin and small teeth.
the innards or viscera collectively, especially the intestine and stomach.
QUIZZES
LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!
Are you learning Spanish? Or do you just have an interest in foreign languages? Either way, this quiz on Spanish words for animals is for you.
Question 1 of 13
How do you say “cat” 🐈 in Spanish?
Origin of gizzard
1325–75; Middle English giser<Old French giser, gezier (French gésier) <Vulgar Latin *gigerium; compare Latin gigeria, gizeria giblets, perhaps ultimately <Iranian; compare Persian jigar liver
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for gizzard
British Dictionary definitions for gizzard
gizzard
/ (ˈɡɪzəd) /
noun
the thick-walled part of a bird's stomach, in which hard food is broken up by muscular action and contact with grit and small stones
a similar structure in many invertebrates
informal the stomach and entrails generally
Word Origin for gizzard
C14: from Old North French guisier fowl's liver, alteration of Latin gigēria entrails of poultry when cooked, of uncertain origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for gizzard
gizzard
[ gĭz′ərd ]
A muscular pouch behind the stomach in birds. It has a thick lining and often contains swallowed sand or grit, which helps in the mechanical breakdown of food.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.