poult

Meanings

nounpoult (plural poults)

plural poults · alternative powt

A young bird, a chick; now especially, a young game bird (turkey, partridge, grouse etc.).First known use 14th c.
After an hour of fishing I saw a flock of turkeys on the opposite bank and shot one of the poults.
2013, Philipp Meyer, The Son, Simon & Schuster, published 2014, page 19
2 more examples
‘I even questioned,’ said he, ‘whether there will not be, in about a week's time, some nice turkey powts.’
1792, Charlotte Smith, Desmond, Broadview, published 2001, page 82
And, besides, she [the old grouse's wife] was the mother of a family, and had seven little poults to wash and feed every day; […]
1863, Charles Kingsley, The Water Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

turkling

Origin

Latinpulla
Old Frenchpoulet“young fowl”
Middle Englishpult
Englishpoult

From Middle English pult, a variant of pulet, polet, from Old French poulet (“young fowl”), diminutive of poule (“hen”), from Latin pulla. For the development of the stressed vowel, see poultry. Doublet of pullet.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →