pig
Forms
- Plural
- pigs
- present (v1)
- pig
- past (v2)
- pigged
- past participle (v3)
- pigged
- present participle
- pigging
- 3rd person singular
- pigs
Definitions
1.Any of several mammalian species of the family Suidae, having cloven hooves, bristles and a snout adapted for digging; especially the domesticated animal Sus domesticus.
- The man kept a pen with two pigs that he fed everything from carrots to cabbage.
- Weanlings grow into feeder pigs, and feeder pigs grow into slaughter hogs. […] Ultimately the end use for virtually all pigs and hogs is to be slaughtered for the production of pork and other products.
2.The edible meat of such an animal; pork.
- Some religions prohibit their adherents from eating pig.
- "Miss Chastene, could you fetch me out an extra plate of pig and biscuit. My partner can't do without your marvelous cooking."
3.A person:
- The protester shouted, “Don't give in to the pigs!” as he was arrested.
- She considered him a pig, as he invariably stared at her bosom when they talked.
- You gluttonous pig! Now that you've eaten all the cupcakes, there will be none for the party!
4.A light pinkish-red colour, like that of a pig (also called pig pink).
1.To give birth.
- The black sow pigged at seven this morning.
2.To greedily consume (especially food).
- They were pigging on the free food at the bar.
- "Wow, Doc. That's heavy." Denis sat there pigging on the joint as usual.
3.To live together in a crowded filthy manner.
4.To huddle or lie together like pigs, in one bed.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #3274
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English pigge (“pig, piglet”) (originally a term for a young pig, with adult pigs being swyn (“swine”)), from Old English *picga, *pycga (attested in picgbrēad (“mast, pig-fodder”)), perhaps a diminutive of Proto-West Germanic *puk, *pūk (“pig”), which also gave rise to Middle Low German pûke, puyke (“pig, piglet”). Pokorny suggests this root might be somehow related to *bū-, *bew- (“to blow; swell”), which could account for the alternation between "pig" and "big".