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Definition of 'fowl'

Word Frequency

fowl

(faʊl )

Word forms: plural fowls , plural fowl

countable noun

A fowl is a bird, especially one that can be eaten as food, such as a duck or a chicken.

Carve the fowl into 8 pieces.

...ducks and many other animals and fowl.

Synonyms: poultry More Synonyms of fowl

COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

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Word Frequency

fowl in British English

(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

verb

5. (intransitive)

to hunt or snare wildfowl

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Word origin

Old English fugol; related to Old Frisian fugel, Old Norse fogl, Gothic fugls, Old High German fogal

Word Frequency

fowl in American English

(faʊl )

nounWord forms: plural fowls or fowl

1.

any bird

now only in combination

wildfowl

2.

any of various domestic birds used as food

; specif.,

a.

the chicken

b.

the duck, goose, turkey, etc.

c.

a full-grown chicken, as distinguished from a springer, etc.

3.

the flesh of any of these birds used for food

verb intransitive

4.

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

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Derived forms

fowler (ˈfowler)

noun

fowling (ˈfowling)

noun

Word origin

ME foule, foghel < OE fugol, akin to Ger vogel, bird < Gmc *fuglaz, altered by dissimulation < *fluglaz < *flug-, *fleug- < IE *pleuk- > fly1

Examples of 'fowl' in a sentence
fowl

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…

Will he prove neither upfield fish nor midfield fowl?But the trouble with this series is that it is neither fish nor fowl.Some might call that fowl play.It is neither fish nor fowl.Instead of fish and fowl, he simply saw larger fish.And if she wants to wed in white she'd need a fish or fowl frock.When Rhodry tried a bite it tasted of meat, not fowl.I eat fish and fowl.The creature that incurred the congestion charge in Central London yesterday was neither fish nor fowl nor good red herring.We should recognise it as the noble jungle fowl that, in the deepest recesses of its genetic code, it still is.

Word lists with
fowl

related adjectives, male animals, female animals

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

-

Score: 0 / 5

Which male animal am I?

cob

ferret peafowl swan

Which male animal am I?

gander

goose peafowl sheep

Which male animal am I?

buck

bird fowl rabbit

Which male animal am I?

peacock

ass duck peafowl

Which male animal am I?

ruff

kangaroo peafowl ruff

Your score:

More idioms containing
fowl

be neither fish nor fowl

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fowl

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In other languages
fowl

British English: fowl NOUN /faʊl/

A fowl is a bird, especially one that can be eaten as food, such as a duck or a chicken.

Carve the fowl into 8 pieces.

American English: fowl /ˈfaʊl/
Brazilian Portuguese: ave (doméstica)
Chinese: 家禽
European Spanish: ave de corral
French: volaille
German: Geflügel
Italian: volatile
Japanese: 家禽
Korean: 가금
European Portuguese: ave (doméstica)
Latin American Spanish: ave de corral
Thai: สัตว์ปีก

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fowl

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fowl

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Definition of fowl from the Collins English Dictionary

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Drag the correct answer into the box.

long-term goal

winning goal

This needs to be approached in a realistic manner.

consume energy or muster the energy?

Which version is correct?

It's a wonder she can consume energy to smile. It's a wonder she can muster the energy to smile.

complex plot or vegetable plot?

Which version is correct?

The warm wet weather is working wonders on the complex plot. The warm wet weather is working wonders on the vegetable plot.

murder scene or music scene?

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murder scene

music scene

Mobile signals enabled police to place them at the .

environmental damage or nerve damage?

Which version is correct?

Rescue workers were trying to limit any environmental damage. Rescue workers were trying to limit any nerve damage.

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Jun 26, 2021

Word of the day

astrobleme

a mark on the earth's surface, usually circular , formed by a large ancient meteorite impact

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Scrabble score
for 'fowl':
10

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

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Score: 0 / 5

tic or tick?

Drag the correct answer into the box.

tic

tick

She developed a in her left eye.

bridal or bridle?

Drag the correct answer into the box.

bridal

bridle

The party was waiting at the house.

sauce or source?

Which version is correct?

I prepared a sauce of garlic, tomatoes, and cheese. I prepared a source of garlic, tomatoes, and cheese.

hangar or hanger?

Which version is correct?

The property has eight bedrooms and a helicopter hangar. The property has eight bedrooms and a helicopter hanger.

stake or steak?

Which version is correct?

The only thing on the menu was stake and kidney pie. The only thing on the menu was steak and kidney pie.

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