poultry

noun

poul·​try ˈpōl-trē 

: domesticated birds kept for eggs or meat

Examples of poultry in a Sentence

This wine goes well with poultry.

Recent Examples on the Web

Vaccines don’t protect against the spread of the virus, and the United States is a major exporter of poultry. —Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026

Flesh meat includes the meat of mammals and poultry, such as beef, pork, chicken and turkey. —Rin Velasco, The Providence Journal, 20 Feb. 2026

The meat is tougher than poultry raised for harvesting, and the feral birds can be a vector of disease. —ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026

Bird flu is mostly found in poultry, according to NJDEP. —Joe Brandt, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pultrie, from Anglo-French pulletrie, from pulleter poulterer, from pullet chicken — more at pullet

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

poultry

noun

poul·​try ˈpōl-trē 

: domesticated birds kept for eggs or meat

Etymology

Middle English pultrie "fowl raised for food," from early French pulletrie (same meaning), from pulleter "one who raises poultry," from pullet "chicken" — related to pullet