capon

[ key-pon, -puhn ]

noun

1. a cockerel castrated to improve the flesh for use as food.

capon

/ ˈkeɪpən /

noun

1. a castrated cock fowl fattened for eating

Word History and Origins

Origin of capon¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English capun, from Latin capōn- (stem of capō ) “castrated cock”; akin to Greek kóptein “to cut,” Old Church Slavonic skopiti “to castrate”

Word History and Origins

Origin of capon¹

Old English capun, from Latin cāpō capon; related to Greek koptein to cut off

Example Sentences

In Scotland, the Capon Tree in the Scottish Borders is one of the few trees left from the Jedforest woodland, which was cut down to provide timber for shipbuilding.

From BBC

Station commander Dan Capon, who was at the scene, said: "Firefighters worked through the night to ensure the scene was safe and evacuated a number of people from surrounding buildings."

From BBC

For her 117th birthday, she ate foie gras, roasted capon, cheese and a dessert similar to a baked alaska.

From New York Times

From the Renaissance up to the late nineteenth century, one finds many cookbooks that suggest covering boiled meat, especially poultry such as duck or capon, with macaroni or filled pasta.

From Salon

The textbook used in that course, Brian Capon’s “Botany for Gardeners: An Introduction to the Science of Plants,” has sold more than 260,000 copies since it was published in 1990.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• chicken
• goose
• hen
• pheasant