noun
crop
A pouch in a bird's digestive tract that temporarily stores food.
The bird's crop stores food before digestion continues.
Etymology
The older word includes a swelling or pouch. The bird’s crop preserves that shape-based use for the expanded part of the digestive tract holding food temporarily.
More examples
- The veterinarian examined the swollen crop.
- Food remained in the chick's crop overnight.
- The diagram shows the crop above the stomach.
Forms
crop · crops
Similar words
- gizzard
- A different digestive organ that grinds food.