noun
fowl
fowl
Fowl (noun) means a bird, especially one raised or hunted for food, such as chickens, ducks, or geese. Example: “The farm raised fowl for eggs and meat.”
noun
1
A bird, especially one raised or hunted for food, such as chickens, ducks, or geese.
"The farm raised fowl for eggs and meat."
"Wild fowl gathered at the edge of the lake."
verb
1
To hunt birds.
"The old hunter still went fowling every autumn."
How to use fowl
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA bird, especially poultry raised for food.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "foul," meaning dirty or against the rules — they sound the same but are unrelated words.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
wild fowl
waterfowl
fowl and game
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Word forms
- Plural
- fowls
- Third person singular
- fowls
- Past tense
- fowled
- Comparative
- fowler
- Superlative
- fowlest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The farm raised _____ for eggs and meat.
Etymology
From Old English fugol, "bird" — related to the verb "fly," since a fowl was originally just any flying creature.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for fowl
See all rhymes for fowl →Frequently asked questions
What does “fowl” mean?
The word “fowl” means a bird, especially one raised or hunted for food, such as chickens, ducks, or geese. In plain terms, a bird, especially poultry raised for food.
How do you pronounce “fowl”?
“Fowl” is pronounced fowl (/faʊl/ in IPA).
How do you use “fowl” in a sentence?
Here is “fowl” used in a sentence: “The farm raised fowl for eggs and meat.”
What is another word for “fowl”?
Words with a similar meaning to “fowl” include gamefowl, poultry and wildfowl.
What part of speech is “fowl”?
Depending on how it is used, “fowl” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “fowl” come from?
The word “fowl” comes from Old English. From Old English fugol, "bird" — related to the verb "fly," since a fowl was originally just any flying creature.
How many meanings does “fowl” have?
“Fowl” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a bird, especially one raised or hunted for food, such as chickens, ducks, or geese.
