noun
poultry
POHL-tree/ˈpəʊltri/
Domestic birds raised for food.
The farmer raises poultry for both meat and eggs.
Etymology
Old French pouletrie meant domestic fowl and came from a term for a dealer in such birds. Its commercial background connects the English collective term with birds kept as livestock.
In context
in 2008 Del Marva Peninsula poultry Farms raised more than 570 million chickens
More examples
- Chickens and ducks are common types of poultry.
- A sturdy fence protects the poultry from foxes.
- Healthy poultry need clean water and enough space.
Similar words
- fowl
- Can include wild birds, not just birds raised for food.
- livestock
- Includes farm animals such as cattle and pigs, not just birds.