gizzard

noun

giz·​zard ˈgi-zərd How to pronounce gizzard (audio)
1
a
: the muscular enlargement of the digestive tract of birds that has usually thick muscular walls and a tough horny lining for grinding the food and when the crop is present follows it and the proventriculus
b
: a thickened part of the digestive tract in some animals (such as an insect or an earthworm) that is similar in function to the crop of a bird
2

Examples of gizzard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The bag contains the turkey neck and giblets, which can include the heart, liver, kidneys, and gizzards. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2024 Sage grouse lack a muscular gizzard capable of grinding seeds, so their only use of agricultural fields is to feed on alfalfa. Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 11 Jan. 2024 Channel cats can be caught on simple baits like white bread, cheese, or chicken gizzards, but as a rule of thumb, the smellier the bait the better. Outdoor Life, 30 Nov. 2023 End of carousel In terms of flavor, the neck, gizzard and heart mostly just taste like poultry dark meat. Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 13 Nov. 2023 See all Example Sentences for gizzard 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gizzard.' 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

alteration of Middle English giser gizzard, liver, from Anglo-French gesir, giser, from Latin gigeria (plural) giblets

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gizzard was in 1565

Dictionary Entries Near gizzard

Cite this Entry

“Gizzard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gizzard. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

gizzard

noun
giz·​zard ˈgiz-ərd How to pronounce gizzard (audio)
: a large muscular part of the digestive tube (as of a bird or insect) which has a horny lining and in which food is churned and ground into small pieces

Medical Definition

gizzard

noun
giz·​zard ˈgiz-ərd How to pronounce gizzard (audio)
: the muscular enlargement of the digestive tract of birds that has usually thick muscular walls and a tough horny lining for churning and grinding the food

More from Merriam-Webster on gizzard

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