Nearby Words

offal

[aw-fuhl, of-uhl] Example Sentences Origin

of·fal

[aw-fuhl, of-uhl]
noun
1.
the parts of a butchered animal that are considered inedible by human beings; carrion.
2.
the parts of a butchered animal removed in dressing; viscera.
3.
refuse; rubbish; garbage.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English, equivalent to of off + fal fall; compare Dutch afval

awful, awesome, offal (see usage note at awful).
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Offal is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
Example Sentences
  • Chicago was once the meatpacking capital of the world, and it still knows what to do with offal.
  • Ain't gonna happen, no matter how much adjuncts starve themselves and wallow in offal.
  • Sophie's inconsequential and useless existence leaves her healthy, well-off and happy as a dog rolling in offal.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
offal (ˈɒfəl)
 
n
1.  the edible internal parts of an animal, such as the heart, liver, and tongue
2.  dead or decomposing organic matter
3.  refuse; rubbish
 
[C14: from off + fall, referring to parts fallen or cut off; compare German Abfall rubbish]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

offal
late 14c., "waste parts, refuse," from off + fall; the notion being that which "falls off" the butcher's block; perhaps a translation of M.Du. afval.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

offal

any of various nonmuscular parts of the carcasses of beef and veal, mutton and lamb, and pork, which are either consumed directly as food or used in the production of other foods. Variety meats have been a part of the human diet since the invention of cooking, which rendered the otherwise indigestible animal parts edible. In nutritional terms, several variety meats are richer in certain vitamins, minerals, and forms of protein than muscle tissue; calf's liver, for example, is a major dietary source of iron, and sweetbread (thymus) is considerably higher in the water-soluble protein albumin than is beef.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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