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Added 10 October 2026

squab

/ˈskwɒb/ noun

Categories: Food & DrinkThingsRare Words

First recorded: 17th century Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about squab at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. A fledgling (young) bird. A young dove or pigeon.
  2. A young dove or pigeon.
  3. A young chicken.

verb

  1. To fall plump; to strike at one dash, or with a heavy stroke.
  2. To furnish with squabs, or cushions.
  3. To stuff thickly and sew through, the stitches being concealed by buttons, etc.

adjective

  1. Fat; thick; plump; bulky.
  2. Unfledged; unfeathered.
  3. Curt; abrupt.

adverb

  1. With a heavy fall; plump.

Origin

Unknown. Possibly related to dialectal Swedish skvabb (“fatty, flabby”). First attested in the 17th century.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Related Words: dovesquabbyshortbroilerssqueakerquabpigeonpoultpoulardsucking-dovepigeonry

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