poultry
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of poultry
1350–1400; Middle English pulletrie < Middle French pouleterie. See pullet, -ery
Explanation
Domesticated birds raised for meat or eggs are poultry. If you're going to keep poultry in your back yard, you'll need to build a chicken coop. When you talk about eating chicken or turkey, you can refer to that type of meat as poultry: "I don't eat red meat — just a little fish and poultry." Other birds that fall into the category of poultry are domesticated guinea hens, ducks, and geese. If they're wild, on the other hand, they're called game. Before poultry came to mean "domestic fowl" in the 14th century, it meant "place where fowl is sold."
Vocabulary lists containing poultry
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for October 7–October 13, 2023
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 2–February 8, 2025
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"The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
China is an important export market for U.S. beef and poultry, particularly for products such as chicken feet and dark meat that are less popular with U.S. consumers.
From Barron's • May 12, 2026
Influencers showed off their high-protein diets filled with protein powders, eggs, egg whites, cottage cheese, poultry and red meat.
From Salon • May 7, 2026
Tyson raised its 2026 adjusted operating-income forecast to $2.2 billion-$2.4 billion due to higher poultry profits.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
The poultry producers Avara Foods Limited and its subsidiary, Freemans of Newent, employ thousands of people in Herefordshire and the borders.
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
“Leave it here, and I’ll show you; if not, I’m going home. I have to get ready for the poultry show.”
From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
