pullet

The story

1. Vulgar Latin · derived frompulla
2. Old French · derived frompoulet“young chicken”
3. Anglo-Norman · derived frompullet
4. Middle English · inherited frompolet
5. English todaypullet

From Middle English polet, pulet, from Anglo-Norman pullet, Old French poulet (“young chicken”); polette (“young hen”), from poule (“hen”), from Vulgar Latin pulla, feminine form of pullus. Doublet of poult. Compare also Middle English pulle. By surface analysis, pull(us) + -et.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. A young hen, especially one less than a year old.