English Reference

Word

fowler

/ˈfaʊɫɝ/

Definitions

01a bird hunter

C2

n. a person who hunts wild birds for food or sport.

n. a hunter of wildfowl, typically using nets, decoys, or firearms.

“The old fowler set his nets by the lake before the sun came up.”

“In the marshes of the eastern coast, the fowler relied on ancient techniques to capture migrating ducks without damaging their plumage.”

Literary · Archaic

Usage

Often found in historical or literary texts describing rural life.

Teaching tip

This sense is largely archaic; modern speakers would simply say 'bird hunter' or 'duck hunter'.

Synonyms

02medical sitting position

C2 · Medicine

n. a position where a hospital patient sits up at an angle to help them breathe.

n. a standard patient position in which the head of the bed is elevated between 45 and 60 degrees.

“The nurse moved the patient into a fowler position to make it easier for him to eat.”

“Maintaining the patient in a high Fowler's position is essential for preventing aspiration and improving lung expansion during recovery.”

Technical

Usage

Usually appears as 'Fowler's position' or 'high/low Fowler'.

Teaching tip

This is a highly specialised term used by healthcare professionals; it is almost never used by the general public.

Synonyms

Fowler's position

Antonyms

supineprone

Etymology

From fowler. The medical term is named after Dr. George Ryerson Fowler, the German surgeon developer of the position.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Domain

Medicine

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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English Reference