Definition
A rooster bred for fighting, or a person known for being quarrelsome and aggressive.
Etymology
Compound: 'game' (ready for combat) + 'cock' (rooster). Dates to the 1600s when cockfighting became popular as a sport across Europe and America.
Kelly Says
Cockfighting was so popular that South Carolina adopted the gamecock as its state bird—even though cockfighting is now illegal in all 50 U.S. states, the symbol remains, showing how historical practices leave unexpected cultural marks.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
እንቁላል ዝምም
en-ku-lal zim-mim
ARالعربية
دجاجة قتالية
da-ja-a qat-a-li-ya
BNবাংলা
যুদ্ধের মুরগী
yuddher mur-gee
CACatalà
gall de batalla
gal deh ba-tal-la
CSČeština
bojový kohout
bo-jo-vy koh-out
DADansk
kampfugl
kamp-fugl
DEDeutsch
Kampfhahn
kamp-hahn
ELΕλληνικά
κοκοράκης μαχών
ko-ko-ra-kis ma-chon
ESEspañol
gallo de pelea
gal-lo deh pe-le-a
FAفارسی
مرغ جنگجو
morgh jang-joo
FISuomi
taistelukoko
taiste-lu-ko-ko
FRFrançais
coq de combat
kok deh kom-bah
GUGU
શિકારનો બેગ
shikar-no baeg
HEעברית
תרנגול קרב
ter-ngol kar-v
HIहिन्दी
मुर्गी लड़ाई
mur-gi lad-ai
HUMagyar
harci kakas
har-ci ka-kas
IDBahasa Indonesia
ayam aduan
a-yam a-du-an
ITItaliano
gallo di combattimento
gal-lo deh kom-bat-ti-men-to
KKKK
қазан аяқ
qa-zan a-yaq
MRMR
शिकारासाठी बॅग
shikar-asa-thi baeg
MSBahasa Melayu
ayam aduan
a-yam a-du-an
NLNederlands
vechthahn
vech-hahn
NONorsk
kampfugl
kamp-fugl
PAPA
ਸ਼ਹਿਦ ਦਾ ટੈਕ
she-hid da taek
PLPolski
kogut bojowy
kogut bo-y-owy
PTPortuguês
galo de briga
ga-lo deh bree-ga
RORomână
cocoș de luptă
ko-cosh deh lup-ta
RUРусский
боевой петух
bo-e-voy pe-tukh
SVSvenska
kampfågel
kamp-fa-gel
SWKiswahili
kuku wa vita
ku-ku wa vi-ta
TAதமிழ்
களியாட்டக் குருவி
ka-li-ya-takk ku-ru-vi
TLTL
manok na labanan
ma-nok na la-ba-nan
TRTürkçe
savaş tavuğu
savash tav-u-gu
UKУкраїнська
бойний півень
boy-nyy piv-en
VITiếng Việt
gà chiến
ga chien
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
The term 'cock' encodes male birds in fighting contexts historically dominated by men. Female gamefowl were excluded from competition and betting, encoding male dominance into the sport's taxonomy.
Inclusive Usage
Use 'gamebird' or 'fighting fowl' when gender-neutrality serves clarity. Note the male bird's role when breeding/genetics context is relevant.
Inclusive Alternatives
["gamebird","fighting fowl","gamefowl"]
Empowerment Note
Women have bred and trained gamebirds for centuries in many cultures, but public fighting sport was coded as male-only, erasing their agricultural expertise.