pullet

noun

pul·​let ˈpu̇-lət How to pronounce pullet (audio)
: a young hen
specifically : a hen of the domestic chicken less than a year old

Examples of pullet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The average lifetime egg production of a pullet is in the 600 range. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Jan. 2023 Under the investments announced last week, Cal-Maine will build four new cage-free hen houses and convert two pullet houses in Utah for a total capacity of 810,000 cage-free layer hens. Kristin Broughton, WSJ, 4 Apr. 2022 In 2018, a fire destroyed a pullet barn at the facility. Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati.com, 21 Apr. 2020 Crystal Cahill of Great Meadows, New Jersey, twice took advantage of that sort of deal after buying what she was told were four 7-week-old pullets in November. Author: Karin Brulliard, Anchorage Daily News, 19 June 2018 The farm owner again offered her two pullets in exchange, but Cahill couldn't part with the bird. Author: Karin Brulliard, Anchorage Daily News, 19 June 2018 A disease outbreak in a barn full of breeding stock — that’s about 36,000 pullets and 4,000 roosters — would be devastating to the company. ‘ Mychel Matthews, idahostatesman, 11 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pullet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English polet, from Anglo-French pullet young bird, chicken, diminutive of pulle, poule young animal, from Late Latin pullus, from Latin, young animal, chicken, sprout — more at foal

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pullet was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pullet

Cite this Entry

“Pullet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pullet. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pullet

noun
pul·​let ˈpu̇l-ət How to pronounce pullet (audio)
: a young hen
especially : a hen of the domestic chicken that is less than a year old
Etymology

Middle English polet "a young chicken or fowl," from early French pullet (same meaning), derived from earlier pulle, poule "young animal," from Latin pullus "young animal, chicken" — related to pool entry 3, poultry

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