pig
Pig (noun) means a farm animal with a snout and cloven hooves, raised for meat. Example: “The farmer kept a dozen pigs in the barn.”
How to use pig
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe farm animal, or (informally) someone greedy, or slang for a police officer.
"Pig" for police officer is slang and can be offensive; avoid it in neutral or formal contexts.
Word forms
pigged past tense, pigs plural, pigs plural, pigs singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The farmer kept a dozen _____ in the barn.
Etymology
From Old English roots referring to a young swine; the slang sense meaning "police officer" has been recorded since at least the late 1700s.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “pig” mean?
The word “pig” means a farm animal with a snout and cloven hooves, raised for meat. In plain terms, the farm animal, or (informally) someone greedy, or slang for a police officer.
How do you pronounce “pig”?
“Pig” is pronounced pihg (/pɪɡ/ in IPA).
How do you use “pig” in a sentence?
Here is “pig” used in a sentence: “The farmer kept a dozen pigs in the barn.”
What is another word for “pig”?
Words with a similar meaning to “pig” include grice, hog, oinker, piggy, porker and squealer.
What part of speech is “pig”?
Depending on how it is used, “pig” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “pig” come from?
The word “pig” dates back to around 1700 and comes from Old English. From Old English roots referring to a young swine; the slang sense meaning "police officer" has been recorded since at least the late 1700s.
Is “pig” a common word?
“Pig” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “pig” have?
“Pig” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a farm animal with a snout and cloven hooves, raised for meat.
What is the difference between a pig and a hog?
Both refer to the farm animal with a snout and cloven hooves raised for meat. In general use pig is the everyday word, while hog often refers to a larger or fully grown pig, though the two are frequently used interchangeably.
What is the difference between a pig and a boar?
A pig is the farm animal raised for meat, while a boar usually refers to a wild pig or specifically to an uncastrated male pig. So a boar can be a type of pig, but the word carries a wilder or more specific meaning.
What is the difference between pig and pork?
Pig is the living farm animal with a snout and cloven hooves, whereas pork is the name for its meat once it is prepared for eating. This mirrors the pattern of cow and beef in English.
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