Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gizzard” come from?

Gizzard comes from Middle English gyser, from Old French gesier, from Latin gigeria, the plural of a word for the edible organs of poultry.

gizzard (English): A portion of the esophagus of either a bird or an...

Definitions

  1. A portion of the esophagus of either a bird or an...

Ancestry of “gizzard”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishgyserA gizzard or liver; an organ for processing waste
2Frenchgésiergizzard
3Old Frenchgesiergizzard
4Latingigeriathe cooked entrails of poultry

Words derived from “gizzard”

  • gizzardless
Every word from Latin gigeria →