pork

noun \ ˈpȯrk \

Definition of pork

1 :the fresh or salted flesh of swine when dressed for food

2 :government funds, jobs, or favors distributed by politicians to gain political advantage

See pork defined for English-language learners

See pork defined for kids

Examples of pork in a Sentence

We need to cut the pork out of the federal budget.

Recent Examples of pork from the Web

And, of course, every newcomer needs to try Philly’s famous cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches.

— michael klein, Philly.com, "Let's Eat: Grill of his dreams," 30 Aug. 2017
Toppings: Chashu pork, onion oil, chili-miso paste, scallions, mushrooms, bean sprouts.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Essential Guide to L.A.’s Best Japanese Food," 28 Aug. 2017
The women cook up classic dishes like borscht, apple pancakes, and stuffed cabbage alongside hearty meat and poultry dishes like goose pâté and pork stew (a nod to the space’s past life as the Polski Meat Market).

— kristen bateman, Vogue, "Charred Cabbage, Chia Pudding, and Pierogies: A Food Crawl Through Greenpoint," 25 Aug. 2017
And isn’t that the pork confit from Eleven Madison Park?

— pete wells, New York Times, "Made Nice Is Fast and Casual. But Is It Good?," 15 Aug. 2017
Part of that minuscule square footage is devoted to a custom wood smoker, in which Berry tends to brisket, ribs, bologna, pulled pork, chicken and hot links, all smoked over pecan.

— malcolm mayhew, star-telegram, "Step right up and sink your teeth in to these up-and-coming North Texas BBQ joints," 27 July 2017
Service is order-at-the-counter, a little unusual for a diner, and we were warned that the pork chop would take 15 minutes.

— robert philpot, star-telegram, "Campfire Grill will make you tell stories about its comfort food," 19 July 2017
A giant gumball machine was rolled out that revealed pork rinds as the whacky secret ingredient for an ice cream sandwich.

— diane bell, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Del Mar racetrack honcho has a Hollywood past," 14 July 2017
In China, for example, regulators are part of a pilot project run by IBM and Walmart to make the retailer’s supply network more transparent, for instance by tracing the provenance of pork and organic food.

— The Economist, "If blockchains ran the worldDisrupting the trust business," 13 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of pork

Middle English, from Anglo-French porc pig, from Latin porcus — more at farrow

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

PORK Defined for English Language Learners

pork

noun

Definition of pork for English Language Learners

: the meat of a pig that is used for food
: government money that is spent on projects done to help the political careers of elected officials

PORK Defined for Kids

pork

noun \ ˈpȯrk \

Definition of pork for Students

:the meat of a pig used for food

Learn More about pork

See words that rhyme with pork Spanish Central: Translation of pork Nglish: Translation of pork for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pork for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pork

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up pork? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

pork

Definition of pork

Examples of pork in a Sentence

Recent Examples of pork from the Web

Origin and Etymology of pork

PORK Defined for English Language Learners

pork

Definition of pork for English Language Learners

PORK Defined for Kids

pork

Definition of pork for Students

Learn More about pork

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

nuncupative

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

Learned Fools: On Names for Students

The Synonyms 'Discover' and 'Invent'

I'll Have the Us(ual)

The Origins of 'Lobbyist'

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

The Exceptions Quiz III

Forms of Government Quiz

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Learned Fools: On Names for Students

Trending: NY Times: Trump's Call Ignites 'Imbroglio'

The Exceptions Quiz III

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Words of the Year: 1066

pork

Definition of pork

Explore M-W

Video: Words of the Year: 1066

Examples of pork in a Sentence

Recent Examples of pork from the Web

Origin and Etymology of pork

Phrases Related to PORK

Related Phrases

PORK Defined for English Language Learners

pork

Definition of pork for English Language Learners

PORK Defined for Kids

pork

Definition of pork for Students

Learn More about pork

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Learned Fools: On Names for Students

Trending: NY Times: Trump's Call Ignites 'Imbroglio'

The Exceptions Quiz III

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Words of the Year: 1066