Broilers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of chicken specifically bred for meat production, often raised in large-scale operations for quicker growth and larger size
2. Young chickens raised primarily for their meat, characterized by their rapid growth and typically a higher feed conversion rate
3. Birds cultivated for consumption that reach maturity faster than traditional breeds, often used in commercial poultry farming

Etymology: "Broilers" is the plural of "broiler," and the word's history splits in an unexpected way. The verb "broil" came into English from Old French "brusler," meaning to burn or scorch, and the agent suffix "-er" attached to it gave a sense of something that broils, namely a grill or a thing cooked over fire. The chicken sense grew from that cooking meaning: a broiler was first a young bird suitable for grilling, and the name came to describe the birds themselves rather than the act of cooking them. A broiler is thus defined by its purpose at the table, not by its age or breed. The word tells you the bird was raised for the grill or the pan, so the plural "broilers" names a whole flock destined for that end.

Synonyms: chickens, poultry, fowl, birds, meat