Poultry (noun) refers to domestic birds such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese raised for meat or eggs. The term covers the collective group of these birds and their products. It is commonly used in farming, culinary contexts, and grocery industries to distinguish them from other livestock and seafood.
"The farm sells fresh poultry every Friday."
"She buys poultry for the family dinner and plans to roast a chicken."
"Regulations require proper handling of poultry to prevent contamination."
"The restaurant sources its poultry from local producers to ensure freshness."
Poultry comes from the Old French pouler, later pouleterie, related to poule meaning chicken, derived from Latin pullus meaning young animal or chick. In Middle English, poultrie referred to domesticated birds kept for their flesh and eggs. The sense extended to the group of birds kept for meat, eggs, or both, and became common in agricultural and culinary contexts by the 14th century. The term has remained stable in meaning across English, though the scope broadened with modern farming to include a wider range of domestic birds. First known use in English is documented in the 14th century when agricultural writers described enclosures and markets for poultry products. Over time, the word acquired its general modern sense, typically without shifting pronunciation dramatically, though regional accents influence vowel quality and initial consonant articulation.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Poultry" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Poultry" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Poultry" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Poultry"
-try sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
You pronounce poultry as /ˈpoʊltri/ in US, /ˈpəʊltr.i/ in UK, and /ˈpɔːltri/ in Australian English. The stress is on the first syllable: POUL-try. Start with an open back rounded vowel for the first syllable in US and AU, or a mid back vowel in UK. The final syllable uses a clear /tri/ with an r-colored vowel depending on accent. Listen for the subtle 'l' blending into a light 't' before 'ry'.
Common errors: (1) Slurring the 'oul' into a quick 'oo' or 'ow' without proper diphthong, leading to /ˈpʊltri/ instead of /ˈpoʊltri/. (2) Misplacing the /l/ or turning the 'l' into a vowel-less 'l' sound. (3) Dropping the final /i/ or pronouncing it as /ɪ/ too short. Correction: hold the /oʊ/ vowel longer, articulate a light, mid-front /l/, and finish with a clear /i/ glide. Practice with minimal pairs: pole-ty, pour-tree.
US: /ˈpoʊltri/ with rhotic r and a strong /oʊ/, UK: /ˈpəʊltr.i/ with non-rhotic r and a clipped /i/ at the end, AU: /ˈpɔːltri/ with a broader vowel in the first syllable and a longer /ɔː/ and a clear /t/. The /l/ is dark in most accents, and the /r/ is either tapped or non-rhotic depending on locale.
The difficulty centers on the diphthong in the first syllable /oʊ/ (US) vs /əʊ/ (UK) and the transition from the vowel to the /l/ with a light /l/ before a consonant cluster /tri/. Many non-native speakers fail to preserve the final vowel length and reduce the /r/ in non-rhotic varieties. Practicing the glide from /oʊ/ to /l/ before a clear /t/ helps.
Is the 'ou' in poultry pronounced as a long /oʊ/ or as a combined /ou/? Answer: In standard varieties, the first syllable contains a diphthong /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK), not a pure /o/ or /u/; the 'u' is not pronounced as a separate vowel. The rapid S-curve from /oʊ/ to /l/ and then /tri/ keeps the word compact and prevents a separate /ju/ sound. IPA guidance helps learners tune the same diphthong across contexts.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Poultry"!
No related words found
See how this word is used in our articles
