gizzard — stomach of a bird, late 14c., from O.Fr. gisier (Mod.Fr. gésier) entrails, giblets (of a bird), probably from V.L. *gicerium, dissimilated from L. gigeria (neut. pl.) cooked entrails of a fowl, a delicacy in ancient Rome, from PIE *yekwr liver… … Etymology dictionary
gizzard — ► NOUN 1) a muscular, thick walled part of a bird s stomach for grinding food, typically with grit. 2) a muscular stomach of some fish, insects, molluscs, and other invertebrates. ORIGIN Old French, from Latin gigeria cooked entrails of fowl … English terms dictionary
gizzard — [giz′ərd] n. [ME giser (+ unhistoric d) < OFr gisier < L gigeria, pl., cooked entrails of poultry < ? an Iran base > Pers džigar, liver] 1. the second stomach of a bird: it has thick muscular walls and a tough lining for grinding food … English World dictionary
Gizzard — The gizzard, also referred to as the ventriculus, gastric mill, and gigerium, is an organ in the digestive tract found in birds, reptiles, earthworms, some fish, and other creatures. This specialized stomach constructed of thick, muscular walls… … Wikipedia
gizzard — /giz euhrd/, n. Zool. 1. Also called ventriculus. a thick walled, muscular pouch in the lower stomach of many birds and reptiles that grinds food, often with the aid of ingested stones or grit. 2. Also called gastric mill. a similar structure in… … Universalium
gizzard — UK [ˈɡɪzə(r)d] / US [ˈɡɪzərd] noun [countable] Word forms gizzard : singular gizzard plural gizzards the stomach of a chicken or other bird … English dictionary
gizzard — 1. Stomach. 2. fret one s gizzard Worry. 3. stick in one s gizzard Annoy one … A concise dictionary of English slang
gizzard — noun Etymology: alteration of Middle English giser gizzard, liver, from Anglo French gesir, giser, from Latin gigeria (plural) giblets Date: 1565 1. a. the muscular enlargement of the alimentary canal of birds that has usually thick muscular… … New Collegiate Dictionary
gizzard — n. [OF. gezier, gizzard] 1. A grinding chamber of various invertebrates. 2. (ANNELIDA: Oligochaeta) A muscular area of the digestive system between intestine and crop. 3. (ARTHROPODA) For Insecta and Crustacea, see proventriculus. 4. (BRYOZOA:… … Dictionary of invertebrate zoology
gizzard — [14] Latin gigeria denoted the ‘cooked entrails of poultry’, something of a delicacy in ancient Rome (the word may have been borrowed from Persian jigar). This produced a Vulgar Latin *gicerium, which passed into Old French as giser. English… … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins