pork

noun

ˈpȯrk 

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

Examples of pork in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Vaccines might contain gelatin, most commonly derived from pork. —Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 20 Apr. 2026

Dishes include crab cakes, pan-roasted pork chops, and mac and cheese. —Lauren Jones, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2026

Thick and juicy, these pork chops take their flavor from Mississippi pot roast, which calls for pepperoncini peppers and convenient seasoning packets. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026

Nearly all andouille available in America these days is Cajun-style andouille, which is made with pork butt (technically, the shoulder portion of the pig), pork fat, garlic, salt, and spicy seasonings like cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, chili powder, black pepper, and/or filé powder. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pork

• pork barrel
• pork belly
• pork rind
• salt pork

Rhymes for pork

• bork
• dork
• fork
• stork
• torque
• pitchfork

Video

Words of the Year: 1066

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

Kids Definition

pork

noun

ˈpō(ə)rk 

ˈpȯ(ə)rk

1

: the flesh of a pig used for food

2

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

Etymology

Middle English pork "meat from a pig," from early French porc "pig," from Latin porcus "pig" — related to porcupine, porpoise see Word History at porpoise