DictionarygiltYoung female pig
noun

gilt

A young female pig that has not yet given birth.

The farmer moves the gilt into a clean, spacious pen.

Etymology

The Old English word names a young sow. Husbandry preserves it as the term for a female pig before she has produced her first litter.

More examples

  • We keep the gilts separate from the older sows.
  • This gilt is due to have her first litter soon.
  • After her first litter, the gilt is called a sow.

Forms

gilt · gilts

Similar words

sow
An adult female pig, usually one that has given birth.
pig
A general term without specifying sex or reproductive history.