offal

[ aw-fuhl, of-uhl ]

noun

1. the edible organs, or organ parts, of a butchered animal; organ meat: Compare muscle meat ( def ).

   Our top three sellers in offal are beef kidney, liver, and tongue.

2. the parts of a butchered animal that are considered inedible by human beings; discarded viscera.
3. refuse; rubbish; garbage:

   Before the agent comes to appraise the house, let’s get someone to haul away all this offal in the backyard.

offal

/ ˈɒfəl /

noun

1. the edible internal parts of an animal, such as the heart, liver, and tongue
2. dead or decomposing organic matter
3. refuse; rubbish

Word History and Origins

Origin of offal¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English offal, offail, orfal “waste material, entrails,” equivalent to of off + fal fall; compare Dutch afval “waste”

Word History and Origins

Origin of offal¹

C14: from off + fall , referring to parts fallen or cut off; compare German Abfall rubbish

Example Sentences

After the turn of the millennium, a new generation of diners rediscovered offal as high-end restaurants and chefs offered "nose to tail" dining.

From Salon

The beef spicy noodle with pork blood and the rice soup with pork intestine, stomach, tongue and pork blood are big draws here, but I’m not the biggest fan of offal.

From Seattle Times

But let 2024 be a year of leaving your comfort zone: Try his La Beacon Batchoy egg noodles with pig offal and fermented shrimp.

From Seattle Times

It’s a marvelous sequence: a master class in culinary criticism, a snapshot of cross-generational tension and a reminder of how hard it can be to accept the offal truth.

From Los Angeles Times

For slaughterhouse companies, this was a lucrative new market for offal.

From Salon