Definition

1. Noun:
   • A castrated male chicken: A domestic rooster that has been castrated, typically at a young age, to improve the quality of its flesh for eating.
   • The flesh of a castrated male chicken used as food: The meat from such a bird, known for being more tender, fatty, and flavorful than that of a typical rooster or hen.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The farmer raised a capon for the holiday feast.
  • Capon is often considered a delicacy and is more expensive than regular chicken.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Culinary Context: The practice of caponizing roosters dates back to ancient times. A capon is specifically bred and prepared for its superior meat quality, making it a traditional centerpiece for special meals.
  • For Christmas dinner, they served a roasted capon with herbs.

Variants and Related Words

• Caponize (verb): To castrate a male chicken.
  • Few farmers still know how to properly caponize a rooster.

Synonyms

• Castrated cock: A more literal synonym.
• Gelded rooster: Another term describing the same process applied to the bird.

Related Phrases

• Capon breast: Refers to the large, plump breast meat of the bird, which is a prized cut.
  • The recipe calls for capon breast, but you can substitute chicken breast.

Noun

1. castrated male chicken
2. flesh of a castrated male chicken