ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rooster

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈɹustɝ// UK //ɹˈuːstɐ// roost·er Archaic Dialect Slang

n. an adult male chicken. You can often recognize one by its bright feathers and the loud sound it makes early in the morning.

n. an adult male of the domestic fowl, Gallus gallus domesticus. Often characterized by a large comb, wattles, and a distinctive crowing call.


SIMPLE

The rooster crows at sunrise every morning.

CONTEXTUAL

The farmer kept one rooster to protect the hens and fertilize the eggs for the next season.

COMPLEX

As the sun began to crest the horizon, the rooster's piercing cry echoed across the valley, signaling the start of the workday for the local community.

Synonyms
Origin

From roost + -er. In the regions where it is used, displaced cock through taboo avoidance. Compare typologically Russian насе́дка (nasédka) (akin to наси́живать (nasíživatʹ), also akin to насе́ст (nasést)).

Usage

Commonly used in North American English; the term 'cock' is more frequent in British English but can be vulgar in other contexts.

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