noun
squab
SKWOB
Squab (noun) means a young, unfledged pigeon or dove, especially one raised for food. Example: “The restaurant menu featured roasted squab as a specialty dish.”
noun
1
A young, unfledged pigeon or dove, especially one raised for food.
"Squab may be consumed by ripping the bird apart with your hands and sucking the meat from the bones."
— Jennifer Egan, The Candy House (2022)
"The restaurant menu featured roasted squab as a specialty dish."
2
A thick cushion, especially one covering a seat.
"The old sofa's squab had gone flat over the years."
How to use squab
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA young pigeon (often eaten as food), or a thick seat cushion.
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Word forms
- Plural
- squabs
- Third person singular
- squabs
- Past tense
- squabbed
- Comparative
- more squab
- Superlative
- most squab
Fill the gap
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The restaurant menu featured roasted _____ as a specialty dish.
Etymology
Origin uncertain, first recorded in the 1600s, possibly related to a Scandinavian dialect word meaning "fatty" or "flabby."
Class of 1600
squab joined the language around 1600.
See the full Class of 1600 →
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “squab” mean?
The word “squab” means a young, unfledged pigeon or dove, especially one raised for food. In plain terms, a young pigeon (often eaten as food), or a thick seat cushion.
How do you pronounce “squab”?
“Squab” is pronounced SKWOB (/ˈskwɑb/ in IPA).
How do you use “squab” in a sentence?
Here is “squab” used in a sentence: “The restaurant menu featured roasted squab as a specialty dish.”
What part of speech is “squab”?
“Squab” is a noun.
Where does the word “squab” come from?
The word “squab” dates back to around 1600. Origin uncertain, first recorded in the 1600s, possibly related to a Scandinavian dialect word meaning "fatty" or "flabby.".
How many meanings does “squab” have?
“Squab” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a young, unfledged pigeon or dove, especially one raised for food.
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