turducken

noun tur·duck·en \ tər-ˈdə-kən \

|Updated on: 14 May 2018

Definition of turducken

: a boneless chicken stuffed into a boneless duck stuffed into a boneless turkey

turducken was our Word of the Day on 06/19/2014. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of turducken from the Web

Monty Python’s brand of sketch comedy was innovative and absurdist, which will no doubt mean this showbiz turducken will be brimming with self-deprecating jokes and even more meta-meta-commentary.

— andrew liptak, The Verge, "Fox is turning Monty Python’s Spamalot into a movie for some reason," 4 May 2018
Each turducken is 24 to 26 pounds, costs $129.99 and feeds 18 to 20 people.

— jess fleming, Twin Cities, "Great takeout BBQ ribs? Best Chinese restaurants? Your food questions answered," 21 Mar. 2017
Scott Thill Andrew Bird Armchair Apocrypha Orchestral folk-pop is a lot like a turducken:

— wired staff, WIRED, "Reviews," 1 Apr. 2007

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

Did You Know?

You can probably guess the origins of turducken just by looking at the word; it is a portmanteau (a word whose form is derived from a blending of two or more distinct other words) created by combining the words turkey, duck, and chicken, and the dish does indeed incorporate all three varieties of fowl. Turducken was first noted in print in 1982, although it may have been in use before that. The dish is a cousin of ballotine, a less familiar food item consisting of deboned meat, poultry, or fish stuffed with seasoned meats or vegetables, rolled and tied into a bundle shape, and usually braised. (The word ballotine derives from the French word for "bundle.")