Turkey (noun) — a large brown-colored or white-feathered bird from North America. They are raised on the farm to be mainly eaten at festivals like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
How to Pronounce “Turkey”?
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
The word has two parts: tur (stressed, like “turn” without the m) plus key (quick and unstressed).
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Examples: How to Use “Turkey” in a Sentence?
These real examples will show how native speakers actually use this word in daily life, allowing you to define “turkey” and memorize it quickly.
What Are Synonyms for the Word “Turkey”?
Exploring similar terms helps build your vocabulary around this popular bird. As the word is too specific, there are no “turkey” synonyms. In some cases, you can refer to it as a bird.
Related nouns: bird chicken goose
Synonyms (contextual): none, it’s a specific noun
Common collocations: turkey breast turkey wings eat turkey
“Turkey” Word Formation and Description in Context
Here’s how this term naturally pairs with other English words in everyday speech, making the “turkey” description more specific, so that other people can understand whether you describe a bird or want to buy one.
With adjectives: wild turkey fresh turkey roasted turkey frozen turkey
With verbs: serve turkey cook turkey buy turkey order turkey
With nouns (noun + noun): turkey sandwich turkey farm turkey meat
Idioms and Phrases with “Turkey”
It is amazing how native speakers use “turkey” in English in ways that have nothing to do with birds!
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Cold turkey —stopping a bad habit immediately.
I decided to quit coffeecold turkey instead of breaking the attachment for months. -
Talk turkey — discussing important matters seriously.
We need totalk turkey about our marriage. It doesn’t work.
Test Your Knowledge of “Turkey” Meaning
Ready to check how well you’ve learned the description of “turkey” and its collocations and idioms? Try these quick exercises to practice!
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“Turkey” Word in Other Languages
Curious how to spell “tukey” in Spanish, German, and French? Here are three common European translations of this term.
| Language | Word for “Turkey” |
|---|---|
Spanish |
Pavo |
French |
Dinde |
German |
Truthahn |
Did You Know It? Fun Facts About “Turkey”
Turkeys are birds that have hidden secrets that might change your perceptions of them!
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Benjamin Franklin’s choice for the national bird was the turkey.
The founding father of the USA was basically pro-turkey; in fact, he thought that the birds were more courageous and dignified than eagles, which he categorized as lazy and filthy. -
Wild turkeys are capable of flying, but domestic turkeys are not.
Nature had made wild turkeys to be expert fliers with the ability to fly at a speed of 55 mph and run at a speed of 25 mph. According to Britannica, they have never been domesticated. -
The sound of a turkey gobbling can be heard from a distance of one mile.
The male turkeys make the “gobble-gobble” noise, which, in fact, is so loud that it can be heard from one mile away. The female turkeys, on the other hand, do not gobble but produce soft clucking sounds.
Famous Quotes About “Turkey”
Many thoughts from writers and entertainers about these fascinating birds have become unforgettable. You can review some of them right now.
Explanation: In the United States, the President “pardons” one or two turkeys every Thanksgiving so that they will not be eaten. The main character in this story is Alex, who offers to house the lucky turkeys in his White House bedroom.
— Elayne Boosler
Explanation: The crisp comic’s funny remark throws light on the fact that turkeys are surprisingly social and smart animals, even compared to often troublesome young people, but in a playful way.
— Shannon Elizabeth
Explanation: The actress dares to refute the popular ideas about turkeys, pointing to the fact that these animals lead emotional lives and form friendships as intricate as those of most of the pets and companions that humans love.
