fowl

fowl
\ \ [OE] Fowl was the main term for ‘bird’ in the Old English period, but in Middle English it was gradually replaced by bird. (It remains in use in compounds, such as wildfowl and waterfowl, and is sometimes still applied to ‘chickens’.) It goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *foglaz or *fuglaz, which also produced the still very much current German and Dutch vogel, Swedish fåagel, and Danish fugl, all signifying ‘bird’, and which may have been a derivative of the same source (*fleug-) as gave English fly – in which case fowl would mean literally ‘flying creature’.
\ \ Cf.FLY

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Fowl — (foul), n. Note: Instead of the pl. {Fowls} the singular is often used collectively. [OE. foul, fowel, foghel, fuhel, fugel, AS. fugol; akin to OS. fugal D. & G. vogel, OHG. fogal, Icel. & Dan. fugl, Sw. fogel, f[*a]gel, Goth. fugls; of unknown… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fowl — /fowl/, n., pl. fowls, (esp. collectively) fowl, v. n. 1. the domestic or barnyard hen or rooster; chicken. Cf. domestic fowl. 2. any of several other, usually gallinaceous, birds that are barnyard, domesticated, or wild, as the duck, turkey, or… …   Universalium

  • fowl — fowl; fowl·er; gare·fowl; sheld·fowl; wa·ter·fowl·er; wa·ter·fowl·ing; …   English syllables

  • Fowl — Fowl, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Fowled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Fowling}.] To catch or kill wild fowl, for game or food, as by shooting, or by decoys, nets, etc. [1913 Webster] Such persons as may lawfully hunt, fish, or fowl. Blackstone. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fowl — [faul] n plural fowl or fowls [U and C] [: Old English; Origin: fugel] 1.) a bird, such as a chicken, that is kept for its meat and eggs, or the meat of this type of bird 2.) old use any bird …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • fowl — [ faul ] (plural fowl or fowls) noun count 1. ) a bird that is kept on a farm for its eggs and meat, for example a chicken or a DUCK 2. ) an old word for bird => FISH1 …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • fowl — ► NOUN (pl. same or fowls) 1) (also domestic fowl) a domesticated bird derived from a junglefowl and kept for its eggs or flesh; a cock or hen. 2) any domesticated bird, e.g. a turkey or duck. 3) birds collectively, especially as the quarry of… …   English terms dictionary

  • fowl — [foul] n. pl. fowls or fowl [ME foule, foghel < OE fugol, akin to Ger vogel, bird < Gmc * fuglaz, altered by dissimulation < * fluglaz < * flug , *fleug < IE * pleuk > FLY1] 1. any bird: now only in combination [wildfowl] 2. any …   English World dictionary

  • fowl — (n.) O.E. fugel bird, representing the general Germanic word for them, from P.Gmc. *foglaz (Cf. O.Fris. fugel, O.N. fugl, M.Du. voghel, Du. vogel, Ger. vogel, Goth. fugls), probably by dissimilation from *flug la , lit. flyer, from the same root… …   Etymology dictionary

  • fowl — The collective use of the singular form is now largely restricted to compounds such as guineafowl and wildfowl …   Modern English usage

  • fowl|er — «FOW luhr», noun. a person who hunts, shoots, catches, or traps wild birds …   Useful english dictionary

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