fowl

noun

\ ˈfau̇(-ə)l

plural fowl or fowls

Definition of fowl

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a bird of any kind — compare waterfowl, wildfowl

2a : a cock or hen of the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) especially : an adult hen

b : any of several domesticated (see domesticate entry 1 sense 2) or wild gallinaceous birds — compare guinea fowl, jungle fowl

3 : the meat of fowls used as food roasted fowl

fowl

verb

fowled; fowling; fowls

Definition of fowl (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to seek, catch, or kill wildfowl

Examples of fowl in a Sentence

Noun

I spotted a long-legged fowl by the water's edge.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Coming from a hunting term referencing pointer dog breeds’ aptitude for tracking down fallen fowl, the expression has undeniably possessive undertones. — Amanda Montell, Glamour, "From Ghosting to Going Steady, Here's a Guide to the History of Dating Slang," 31 May 2019 When the Pilgrims and Wampanoag sat down to the first Thanksgiving dinner, their feast revolved around foods that had been foraged, hunted and fished: venison, wild fowl, indigenous fruits and seafood like mussels, whole fish and lobster. — Elizabeth G. Dunn And Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, "The Battle for Thanksgiving Heats Up," 31 Oct. 2018 Officials say the fowl could potentially spread diseases like avian flu, which is why they're banned from coming here. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Customs Officials Seize 70 Finches Crammed into Hair Rollers at John F. Kennedy Airport," 13 Dec. 2018 Though there are few records of the actual menu, it is known that the Pilgrims hunted for local fowl (swans very much included) and the Wampanoag brought five deer. — Katie Robinson, Town & Country, "8 Surprising Facts You Never Knew About Thanksgiving," 3 Oct. 2017 Animals, including cows, fowl, and wild dogs, roam freely here. — Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "An Insider’s Guide to Atins, a Hidden Paradise on the Northeast Coast of Brazil," 18 Jan. 2019 Analysis of bones from now-extinct elephant birds could shed new light on the fate of the giant fowls. — James Rogers, Fox News, "Elephant bird mystery solved? Discovery may explain demise of world's largest-ever birds," 13 Sep. 2018 Traditionalists will appreciate a straightforward take on the pink faux-fowls of the past; minimalists might like something a little more stripped-down—literally. — Candace Braun Davison, House Beautiful, "Zombie Flamingos Will Scare The Flock Out Of Your Neighbors This Halloween," 20 Sep. 2018 Jurong Bird Park Jurong Bird Park is the largest bird park in Asia, housing more than 5,000 fowl in a 50-acre green space. — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, "20 Best Things To Do In Singapore," 2 Mar. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Games include fowling — a game that combines football and bowling — as well as table tennis, foosball, air hockey and more. — Robert Philpot, star-telegram.com, "Hanging out at 12 new patios in and around Fort Worth," 17 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fowl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.