Porkers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A colloquial term for domesticated pigs, often used humorously to refer to their size
2. It can also describe people, particularly children, who are gluttonous or indulging excessively in food
3. In some contexts, it may refer to competitive eaters or those who eat rapidly and greedily

Etymology: "Porkers" is the plural of "porker," a pig fattened for slaughter. The noun is built from "pork" plus the agent suffix "-er," so a porker is literally a thing that is raised for pork. "Pork" itself came into English from Old French "porc," which descends from Latin "porcus," meaning "pig." The figurative sense, applied to greedy people and especially children who overindulge at the table, follows naturally from the animal's reputation for eating heavily and growing fat. Calling a child a porker is a jab at their appetite, borrowing the image of a pig being fed up for market.

Synonyms: pigs, swine