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

Inspectors also found chemicals stored above a food-preparation table and raw pork thawing at room temperature. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Aug. 2026

Circe, the poem’s speaker, instructs the nymphs in a recipe for cooking pork. — Bailey Sincox, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026

At the meat counter, people can browse an assortment of cuts, from beef honeycomb tripe to pork neck bones, marinated chicken legs, chorizo, scallops, shrimp, whole snapper, salmon steaks and catfish fillets. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026

After another roll call came dinner (pork and beans, cornbread, potato salad, apricots, margarine, and coffee) and evening free time, when prisoners could read, play music, or (later) listen to radio. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 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