noun
offal
O-fuhl
Offal (noun) means the internal organs of a butchered animal, such as liver or kidney, eaten as food. Example: “Nose-to-tail cooking makes full use of offal that would otherwise be wasted.”
noun
1
The internal organs of a butchered animal, such as liver or kidney, eaten as food.
"Nose-to-tail cooking makes full use of offal that would otherwise be wasted."
2
Waste material or scraps considered worthless.
"The mill sold the offal from grinding grain as cheap animal feed."
How to use offal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAnimal organ meats, or more generally, discarded scraps.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "awful" (terrible) — they sound similar but are unrelated in meaning.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
offal and entrails
cook with offal
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Word forms
- Plural
- offals
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Nose-to-tail cooking makes full use of _____ that would otherwise be wasted.
Etymology
From Middle English offal, literally "off-fall" — the parts that "fall off" when an animal is butchered.
Frequently asked questions
What does “offal” mean?
The word “offal” means the internal organs of a butchered animal, such as liver or kidney, eaten as food. In plain terms, animal organ meats, or more generally, discarded scraps.
How do you pronounce “offal”?
“Offal” is pronounced O-fuhl (/ˈɒfəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “offal” in a sentence?
Here is “offal” used in a sentence: “Nose-to-tail cooking makes full use of offal that would otherwise be wasted.”
What part of speech is “offal”?
“Offal” is a noun.
Where does the word “offal” come from?
The word “offal” comes from Middle English. From Middle English offal, literally "off-fall" — the parts that "fall off" when an animal is butchered.
How many meanings does “offal” have?
“Offal” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the internal organs of a butchered animal, such as liver or kidney, eaten as food.
