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Rock Cornish

Rock Cornish

6.7
A small plump chicken that people raise for meat
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : Rock Cornish
  • Many gourmet recipes recommend using Rock Cornish hens for their tender meat.
  • Rock Cornish hens
  • Rock Cornish game

Examples

  • The restaurant served roasted Rock Cornish with seasonal vegetables.

  • The Rock Cornish chicken is known for its tender meat.

  • We bought a pair of Rock Cornish hens for the holiday meal.

  • Many farmers prefer raising Rock Cornish chickens for their fast growth.

  • The chef prepared a delicious dish using Rock Cornish hens that were tender and flavorful.

  • Many people prefer Rock Cornish chickens for their juicy meat and ease of cooking.

  • At the farm, we raise Rock Cornish chickens specifically for seasonal feasts and family gatherings.

How Big

capon
3 9.5
broiler
1 3.0
Rock Cornish
  • US
6.7
bantam
4 8.1

Surface Forms

Rock Cornish singular

Morphology

Rock + Cornish

The compound is a breed name formed from two proper-breed elements; if a learner recognizes 'Cornish' as a chicken breed they may infer this refers to a type of chicken, but the element 'Rock' (here from Plymouth Rock) is not transparently signaling poultry to an average B1 learner. Because the overall meaning (a specific crossbred chicken) requires knowledge of breed names and naming conventions rather than simple compositional semantics, it is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Rock Cornish comes from crossing two chicken types: Plymouth Rock and Cornish, where breeders mixed them to make a small, plump chicken. That's why Rock Cornish now means a breed often raised for 'meat'.