Why do we raise pigs but eat pork? Same goes for cow vs. beef. It is because of the influence of French (and its higher social status) in Middle English. Via French, pork comes from the Latin porcus, \"pig, hog.\"

Now that you know how pigs got their name, why not find out how some of our other most beloved pets got theirs in the slideshow: \"Where Do The Words For Our Pets Come From?\"","type":"usage-wordpress"}],"ordinal":1,"origin":{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee8f","source":"dcom","text":"First recorded before 1100; Middle English peg, pyg, pyge, pigge “young pig,” Old English picbrēd “pigbread,” i.e., acorns or stale bread used as fodder; further origin uncertain","type":"origin"},"partOfSpeechBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee0f","ordinal":1,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Animal Husbandry","type":"category"}],"text":"a young swine of either sex, especially a domestic hog, Sus scrofa, typically weighing less than 300 pounds (136 kilograms)."},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee14","ordinal":2,"source":"random-house","text":"any wild or domestic swine in the genus Sus, within the family Suidae Old World pigs."},{"crossReferences":[{"targetDefinition":{"id":"55680d1c00000003cb005cb2","ordinal":1,"text":"the flesh of hogs used as food."},"targetEntry":{"headword":"pork","id":"55680d1c00000003cb005ca3","slug":"pork"}}],"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee16","ordinal":3,"source":"random-house","text":"the flesh of swine; pork."},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee18","label":"Informal.","ordinal":4,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Informal Terms","type":"category"},{"tag":"Slang and Taboo Speech","type":"category"}],"text":"a person of piggish character, behavior, or habits, as one who is gluttonous, very fat, greedy, selfish, or filthy."},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee22","label":"Slang: Disparaging.","ordinal":5,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Slang and Taboo Speech","type":"category"}],"text":"a police officer."},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee29","label":"Slang.","ordinal":6,"source":"dcom","tags":[{"tag":"Slang and Taboo Speech","type":"category"}],"text":"an extremely rude, ill-mannered person, especially one who is sexist or racist."},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee1c","label":"Slang.","ordinal":7,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Slang and Taboo Speech","type":"category"}],"text":"an immoral woman, especially a prostitute."},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee2d","label":"Machinery.","ordinal":8,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Mechanics","type":"category"}],"text":"any tool or device, as a long-handled brush or scraper, used to clear the interior of a pipe or duct."},{"crossReferences":[{"targetDefinition":{"id":"55680d0200000000c000f316","ordinal":2,"text":"iron in the chemical state in which it exists when tapped from the blast furnace, without alloying or refinement."},"targetEntry":{"headword":"pig iron","id":"55680d0200000000c000f30a","slug":"pig-iron"}}],"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee33","label":"Metallurgy.","ordinal":9,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Metallurgy","type":"category"}]},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee39","ordinal":9,"source":"random-house","subOrdinal":1,"tags":[{"tag":"Metallurgy","type":"category"}],"text":"an oblong mass of metal that has been run while still molten into a mold of sand or the like, especially such a mass of iron from a blast furnace."},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee3d","ordinal":9,"source":"random-house","subOrdinal":2,"tags":[{"tag":"Metallurgy","type":"category"}],"text":"one of the molds for such masses of metal."},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee41","ordinal":9,"source":"random-house","subOrdinal":3,"tags":[{"tag":"Metallurgy","type":"category"}],"text":"metal in the form of such masses."},{"crossReferences":[{"targetDefinition":{"id":"55680d0200000000c000f316","ordinal":2,"text":"iron in the chemical state in which it exists when tapped from the blast furnace, without alloying or refinement."},"targetEntry":{"headword":"pig iron","id":"55680d0200000000c000f30a","slug":"pig-iron"}}],"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee45","ordinal":9,"source":"random-house","subOrdinal":4,"tags":[{"tag":"Metallurgy","type":"category"}],"text":"pig iron."}],"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee0c","ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"},{"definitions":[{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee53","label":"Metallurgy.","ordinal":1,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Metallurgy","type":"category"}],"text":"to mold (metal) into oblong masses."},{"crossReferences":[{"targetDefinition":{"id":"55680a77000000003600ac5e","ordinal":1,"text":"to swallow eagerly, or in large drafts or morsels (often followed bydown )."},"targetEntry":{"headword":"gulp","id":"55680a77000000003600ac4d","slug":"gulp"}}],"examples":[{"sentence":"He pigged three doughnuts and ran off to school."}],"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee57","label":"Informal.","ordinal":2,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Informal Terms","type":"category"},{"tag":"Slang and Taboo Speech","type":"category"}],"text":"to eat (something) quickly; gulp."}],"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee4d","inflectedFormSets":[{"inflectedForms":[{"form":"pigged","ordinal":1,"syllabicForm":"pigged"},{"form":"pigging","ordinal":2,"syllabicForm":"pig·ging"}]}],"ordinal":2,"partOfSpeech":"verb-transitive"},{"definitions":[{"crossReferences":[{"targetDefinition":{"id":"556809c2000000021600278b","ordinal":1,"text":"to produce a litter of pigs."},"targetEntry":{"headword":"farrow","id":"556809c2000000021600276f","slug":"farrow"}}],"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee66","ordinal":1,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Animal Husbandry","type":"category"}],"text":"to bring forth pigs; farrow."}],"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee60","inflectedFormSets":[{"inflectedForms":[{"form":"pigged","ordinal":1,"syllabicForm":"pigged"},{"form":"pigging","ordinal":2,"syllabicForm":"pig·ging"}]}],"ordinal":3,"partOfSpeech":"verb-intransitive"}],"pronunciationSets":[{"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee07","lang":"en","ordinal":1,"pronunciations":[{"audio":{"flac":"P04/P0442300/P0442300.flac","mpeg":"P04/P0442300/P0442300.mp3","ogg":"P04/P0442300/P0442300.ogg","wav":"P04/P0442300/P0442300.wav"},"id":"55680d0200000000c000ee08","ipa":{"text":"pɪg"},"phonetic":{"html":"pig","text":"pig"}}],"region":"us"}],"slug":"pig","source":"dcom","type":"dcom"},{"createDate":"2015-05-29T06:53:54Z","guideWord":"earthenware pot","headword":{"normalizedForm":"pig","standardForm":"pig","syllabicForm":"pig"},"homograph":2,"homographOrdinal":1,"id":"55680d0200000000c000eea4","lang":"en","modifyDate":"2015-05-29T06:53:54Z","ngrams":{"allLetters":true,"forward":"pig","groups":["g","i","p"],"numLetters":3,"reverse":"gip","subwordTokens":["pig","ig","g"]},"normalizedLetter":"p","ordinal":1,"origin":{"id":"55680d0200000000c000eec0","source":"dcom","text":"First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English pygg; further origin uncertain","type":"origin"},"partOfSpeechBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"id":"55680d0200000000c000eeb5","ordinal":1,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Scots","type":"category"},{"tag":"Dialect","type":"category"}],"text":"an earthenware crock, pot, pitcher, or jar."},{"id":"55680d0200000000c000eeba","ordinal":2,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Scots","type":"category"},{"tag":"Dialect","type":"category"}],"text":"potter's clay; earthenware as a material."}],"id":"55680d0200000000c000eeae","label":"Scot. and North England.","ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun","tags":[{"tag":"Scot.","type":"geographic"},{"tag":"North_England","type":"geographic"}]}],"pronunciationSets":[{"id":"55680d0200000000c000eea9","lang":"en","ordinal":1,"pronunciations":[{"audio":{"flac":"P04/P0442400/P0442400.flac","mpeg":"P04/P0442400/P0442400.mp3","ogg":"P04/P0442400/P0442400.ogg","wav":"P04/P0442400/P0442400.wav"},"id":"55680d0200000000c000eeaa","ipa":{"text":"pɪg"},"phonetic":{"html":"pig","text":"pig"}}],"region":"us"}],"slug":"pig","source":"dcom","type":"dcom"}],"type":"dcom"},{"entries":[{"createDate":"2012-01-01T00:00:00Z","headword":{"normalizedForm":"pig","standardForm":"pig"},"id":"4effa20069646d2100101580","lang":"en","modifyDate":"2012-01-01T00:00:00Z","ngrams":{"allLetters":true,"forward":"pig","groups":["g","i","p"],"numLetters":3,"reverse":"gip","subwordTokens":["pig","ig","g"]},"normalizedLetter":"p","ordinal":1,"partOfSpeechBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"crossReferences":[{"targetEntry":{"headword":"in a pig's eye","slug":"in-a-pigs-eye"},"type":"idiom"},{"targetEntry":{"headword":"like pigs in clover","slug":"like-pigs-in-clover"},"type":"idiom"},{"targetEntry":{"headword":"make a pig of oneself","slug":"make-a-pig-of-oneself"},"type":"idiom"},{"targetEntry":{"headword":"when pigs fly","slug":"when-pigs-fly"},"type":"idiom"}],"id":"4effa20080539d28583537b8","ordinal":1,"source":"american-heritage","text":"In addition to the idioms beginning with pig, also see in a pig's eye; like pigs in clover; make a pig of oneself; when pigs fly."}],"id":"4effa20080539d28583537b9","ordinal":1}],"slug":"pig","source":"american-heritage","type":"idiom"}],"type":"idiom"},{"entries":[{"createDate":"2010-07-27T12:49:57Z","headword":{"normalizedForm":"pig","standardForm":"pig"},"id":"4c4ed5f5000000014e002f5a","lang":"en","modifyDate":"2010-07-27T12:49:57Z","ngrams":{"allLetters":true,"forward":"pig","groups":["g","i","p"],"numLetters":3,"reverse":"gip","subwordTokens":["pig","ig","g"]},"normalizedLetter":"p","ordinal":1,"origin":{"source":"collins","text":"C13 pigge, of obscure origin","type":"etymology"},"partOfSpeechBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"id":"4cbb34913cea543b4830e3bd","ordinal":1,"tags":[{"tag":"Science_and_Technology:Life_Sciences_and_Allied_Applications:Animals","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"any artiodactyl mammal of the African and Eurasian family Suidae, esp Sus scrofa ( domestic pig ), typically having a long head with a movable snout, a thick bristle-covered skin, and, in wild species, long curved tusks"},{"id":"4c79010d52496ac013c6d01c","ordinal":2,"tags":[{"tag":"Science_and_Technology:Life_Sciences_and_Allied_Applications:Agriculture","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"a domesticated pig weighing more than 120 pounds (54 kg)"},{"id":"4cd14b46b339feca3d072ab7","label":"informal","ordinal":3,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"a dirty, greedy, or bad-mannered person"},{"id":"4c5a9b600b0a6f3929b31e48","ordinal":4,"tags":[{"tag":"Arts:Cooking:Cookery","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"the meat of swine; pork"},{"id":"4ce8a2710c1492b98b6d4294","label":"derogatory","ordinal":5,"tags":[{"tag":"Social_Science_and_History:Law","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"a slang word for policeman"},{"id":"4ceed8f61a3854ff637409aa","ordinal":6,"tags":[{"tag":"Science_and_Technology:Engineering:Metallurgy","type":"subject-field"}]},{"id":"4c11cb4b30fd7def0296a486","ordinal":6,"subOrdinal":1,"text":"a mass of metal, such as iron, copper, or lead, cast into a simple shape for ease of storing or transportation"},{"id":"4c2524b379dc79f864f6f0c0","ordinal":6,"subOrdinal":2,"text":"a mould in which such a mass of metal is formed"},{"id":"4c4cd0c1d987d41a0b92559d","label":"informal","ordinal":7,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"something that is difficult or unpleasant"},{"id":"4cfe59b0d9a86dd1434270a9","ordinal":8,"tags":[{"tag":"Science_and_Technology:Engineering:Tools","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"an automated device propelled through a duct or pipeline to clear impediments or check for faults, leaks, etc"},{"id":"4c4ed5f5000000014e002fa1","ordinal":9,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"something bought or received without prior sight or knowledge"},{"id":"4c671e4ec4dc49f408cbf87d","label":"informal","ordinal":10,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"to overindulge oneself"},{"examples":[{"sentence":"he's on the pig's back now"}],"id":"4c4bd31e5fa4f2245951d8b7","ordinal":11,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"successful; established"}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"},{"definitions":[{"id":"4c81f58eb906f30fb14d3006","ordinal":1,"tags":[{"tag":"Science_and_Technology:Life_Sciences_and_Allied_Applications:Zoology","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"(intr) (of a sow) to give birth"},{"id":"4c326ad0f5944f3719455138","label":"informal","ordinal":2,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"(intr) to live in squalor","variants":[{"form":"pig it","label":"Also:"}]},{"id":"4cc9f3ad0e6e00a8aabb1270","label":"informal","ordinal":3,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"(tr) to devour (food) greedily"}],"ordinal":2,"partOfSpeech":"verb"}],"pronunciationSets":[{"ordinal":1,"pronunciations":[{"ipa":{"text":"pɪɡ"}}]}],"slug":"pig","source":"collins","type":"british"}],"type":"british"}],"meta":{"arg":"pig","requestId":"lj8wfSMoY8ACd_ZbLPla6","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"pig","slug":"pig"},{"displayForm":"pigs","slug":"pigs"},{"displayForm":"ping","slug":"ping"},{"displayForm":"prig","slug":"prig"},{"displayForm":"psig","slug":"psig"},{"displayForm":"Dig","slug":"dig"},{"displayForm":"big","slug":"big"},{"displayForm":"cig","slug":"cig"},{"displayForm":"dig","slug":"dig"},{"displayForm":"fig","slug":"fig"},{"displayForm":"gig","slug":"gig"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"pig","slug":"pig"},{"displayForm":"pigs","slug":"pigs"},{"displayForm":"ping","slug":"ping"},{"displayForm":"prig","slug":"prig"},{"displayForm":"big","slug":"big"},{"displayForm":"cig","slug":"cig"},{"displayForm":"dig","slug":"dig"},{"displayForm":"fig","slug":"fig"},{"displayForm":"gig","slug":"gig"},{"displayForm":"jig","slug":"jig"},{"displayForm":"nig","slug":"nig"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"pig"},"requestId":"FA3kkg8W_PAn_oQmUOro3","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

pig

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