farrow

1 of 3

verb

far·​row ˈfer-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce farrow (audio)
ˈfa-(ˌ)rō
farrowed; farrowing; farrows

transitive verb

: to give birth to (a farrow)

intransitive verb

of swine : to bring forth young
often used with down

farrow

2 of 3

noun

1
: a litter of pigs
2
: an act of farrowing

farrow

3 of 3

adjective

of a cow
: not pregnant

Examples of farrow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Although sow stalls for gestating pigs have already been banned throughout the European Union and are slowly being phased out in some U.S. states, they are still widely used elsewhere, and restrictive farrowing crates remain the common agricultural model. Miyun Park, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2012 Fraser’s research was designed to determine whether teeth actually confer a competitive advantage on their owners, and whether teeth clipping at farrowing (birth) hurts a piglet’s chances of survival. Judith Stone, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 Fraser and his colleagues have also helped design a farrowing pen for sows that minimizes accidental crushing. Judith Stone, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 A few years ago, a proposal (still pending) to put a 25,000-hog farrowing operation in Bayfield County led Dougherty to join the fight against corporate farms. Nancy Stohs, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2017 Boars, particularly farrowing sows protecting their young, can be aggressive, charging and attacking intruders. Helen MacDonald, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2016

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English farwen, from Old English *feargian, from Old English fearh young pig; akin to Old High German farah young pig, Latin porcus pig

Adjective

Middle English (Scots) ferow

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of farrow was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near farrow

Cite this Entry

“Farrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/farrow. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

farrow

1 of 2 verb
far·​row ˈfar-ō How to pronounce farrow (audio)
: to give birth to pigs

farrow

2 of 2 noun
: a litter of pigs

Medical Definition

farrow

1 of 3 transitive verb
: to give birth to (a farrow)

intransitive verb

of swine : to bring forth young
often used with down

farrow

2 of 3 noun
1
: a litter of pigs
2
: an act of farrowing

farrow

3 of 3 adjective
of a cow
: not pregnant
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