pork

noun

ˈpȯrk How to pronounce pork (audio)
1
: the fresh or salted flesh of swine when dressed for food
2
: government funds, jobs, or favors distributed by politicians to gain political advantage

Examples of pork in a Sentence

We need to cut the pork out of the federal budget.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Pets Table combines high-quality nutrition with ingredient transparency, offering recipes made without artificial flavors, colors, or fillers, and featuring protein options such as salmon and pork for dogs with specific sensitivities. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Perla restaurant takes on the feat of contemporary-meets-old school Cuban cuisine using ingredients like yuca, malanga, alligator, beef, and pork to recreate ancient recipes with a modern twist. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026 Americans aren’t short on protein options like chicken or pork. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026 Kennedy wanders across the country, picking up a recipe for pozolé de camarón in Jalisco, chuletas de puerco en agridulce (sweet-and-sour pork chops) in Morelia, and chilaquiles en salsa verde from her longtime home state of Michoacán. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pork

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French porc pig, from Latin porcus — more at farrow

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pork was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing pork

Rhymes for pork

See All Rhymes for pork

Browse Nearby Words

poritoid
pork
pork barrel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pork. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pork

noun
ˈpō(ə)rk How to pronounce pork (audio)
ˈpȯ(ə)rk
1
: the flesh of a pig used for food
2
: government funds, jobs, or favors distributed by politicians to gain political advantage
Etymology

Middle English pork "meat from a pig," from early French porc "pig," from Latin porcus "pig" — related to porcupine, porpoise see Word History at porpoise

More from Merriam-Webster on pork

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pork

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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