fatling
Definition
Noun (countable): - A young animal, especially a calf, lamb, or pig, that has been fattened for slaughter. - This term is archaic or biblical in modern usage, referring to livestock raised specifically to be killed for meat.
Usage Examples
- (A young animal fattened for slaughter.)
- (A specific animal raised for a celebratory meal.)
Advanced Usage
- "the fatted calf" (idiomatic): Derived from the biblical story of the prodigal son, this phrase refers to a specially fattened animal killed for a celebration. "Fatling" is the specific term for such an animal.
- They killed the fatling for the homecoming party. (They slaughtered the young, fattened animal for the celebration.)
Variants and Related Words
- Fattened (adj): made fat, especially for slaughter.
- The fattened pigs were ready for market. (The pigs had been fed to increase their weight for sale.)
- Fat (adj): having a large amount of flesh; plump.
- The fat calf was a perfect fatling. (The plump young animal was ideal for slaughter.)
Synonyms
- Fatted calf: a calf that has been fattened; often used interchangeably with "fatling" in biblical contexts.
- Stall-fed animal: an animal fed in a stall to be fattened, typically for slaughter.
Related Idioms
- Kill the fatted calf: to prepare a lavish celebration, especially for a returning person.
- When their son returned from abroad, they killed the fatted calf, meaning they prepared a fatling for the feast. (They celebrated extravagantly with a specially fattened animal.)