cockerel
/'kɔkərəl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A young male domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), specifically one that is less than one year old. It is the immature stage before the bird becomes a fully mature rooster or cock.
Usage
The word "cockerel" is used to specify the age and sex of a chicken. It distinguishes a young, maturing male bird from a mature rooster (an older, fully grown male) and from a pullet (a young female chicken).
Examples
- The farm has several cockerels that will grow into roosters next spring.
- You can tell it's a cockerel by its developing comb and wattles and the beginnings of tail feathers.
- That cockerel is starting to crow, even though he's still quite young.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in poultry farming, animal husbandry, and bird shows to classify birds by age and sex.
- In some contexts, "cockerel" can be used figuratively to describe a young man who is boastful or strutting, much like the behavior of the bird, though this is less common.
Variants and Related Words
- Rooster / Cock (noun): The adult male chicken. A cockerel matures into a rooster.
- Pullet (noun): A young female domestic chicken, typically less than one year old.
- Chick (noun): A very young, newly hatched chicken of either sex.
Synonyms
- Young cock
- Juvenile rooster
Antonyms
- Rooster (as the mature form)
- Pullet (as the female counterpart)
- Hen (adult female chicken)
Noun
- a young domestic cock; not older than one year