Illustration of turkey
- turkey 1
turkey
noun
tur·key ˈtər-kē 
plural turkeys
1
plural also turkey : a large North American gallinaceous bird (Meleagris gallopavo) that is domesticated in most parts of the world
2
: failure, flop
especially : a theatrical production that has failed
3
: three successive strikes in bowling
4
: a stupid, foolish, or inept person
Synonyms
- berk [British]
- booby
- charlie [British]
- charley
- cuckoo
- ding-a-ling
- ding-dong
- dingbat
- dipstick
- doofus [slang]
- featherhead
- fool
- git [British]
- goose
- half-wit
- jackass
- lunatic
- mooncalf
- nincompoop
- ninny
- ninnyhammer
- nit [chiefly British]
- nitwit
- nut
- nutcase
- simp
- simpleton
- yo-yo
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He was acting like a complete turkey. only a turkey would think it's a good idea to go for a jog when the weather drops below zero
Recent Examples on the Web Some of the biggest U.S. turkey suppliers said the virus has already cut into their supplies, pushing up prices. 
Patrick Thomas, WSJ, 2 Sep. 2022 Favorite lean and clean menu options include Thai turkey salad with cabbage, basil and cashews and salmon with cilantro-lime sauce. Amy Fischer Ms, Rd, Good Housekeeping, 26 Aug. 2022 Before this gathering is over, Simon will make out with the mom, throw a roast turkey at his hosts’ son, smash their front window and set fire to their front yard. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 3 June 2022 At Thanksgiving, Noel would drop off a turkey for Mills and friends. Alaina Demopoulos, Allure, 26 May 2022 The Final Girl has only seen bones this prominent in a Thanksgiving turkey picked clean. Lesley Finn, Longreads, 7 July 2022 Along with a Thanksgiving turkey, Arce's family will also eat wild rice casseroles, given that wild rice was a staple for Potawatomi tribe of the northern Great Lakes region. Michelle Shen, USA TODAY, 23 Nov. 2021 Almost on cue, Ismail grabbed the ground turkey and sauteed onions and started filling up the taco shells. Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 17 May 2022 Top the turkey with overlapping pieces of pita, brush them generously with olive oil, and bake the dish until the top browns and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Sheryl Julian, BostonGlobe.com, 17 May 2022 See More
Patrick Thomas, WSJ, 2 Sep. 2022 Favorite lean and clean menu options include Thai turkey salad with cabbage, basil and cashews and salmon with cilantro-lime sauce. Amy Fischer Ms, Rd, Good Housekeeping, 26 Aug. 2022 Before this gathering is over, Simon will make out with the mom, throw a roast turkey at his hosts’ son, smash their front window and set fire to their front yard. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 3 June 2022 At Thanksgiving, Noel would drop off a turkey for Mills and friends. Alaina Demopoulos, Allure, 26 May 2022 The Final Girl has only seen bones this prominent in a Thanksgiving turkey picked clean. Lesley Finn, Longreads, 7 July 2022 Along with a Thanksgiving turkey, Arce's family will also eat wild rice casseroles, given that wild rice was a staple for Potawatomi tribe of the northern Great Lakes region. Michelle Shen, USA TODAY, 23 Nov. 2021 Almost on cue, Ismail grabbed the ground turkey and sauteed onions and started filling up the taco shells. Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 17 May 2022 Top the turkey with overlapping pieces of pita, brush them generously with olive oil, and bake the dish until the top browns and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Sheryl Julian, BostonGlobe.com, 17 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Turkey, country in western Asia and southeastern Europe; from confusion with the guinea fowl, supposed to be imported from Turkish territory
First Known Use
1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing turkey
Kids Definition
turkey
noun
tur·key ˈtər-kē
plural turkeys
: a large North American bird related to the chicken and widely raised for food
Geographical Definition
Turkey
geographical name
Tur·key ˈtər-kē
variants or Turkish Türkiye
ˌtᵫr-kē-ˈye
country in western Asia and southeastern Europe between the Mediterranean and Black seas; capital Ankara area 302,535 square miles (783,562 square kilometers), population 81,257,000 see ottoman empire
Note: Turkey was formerly the center of an empire whose capital was Constantinople. Since 1923 it has been a republic.
see also turk sense 1
turkey
noun
1
as in goose
a person who lacks good sense or judgment only a turkey would think it's a good idea to go for a jog when the weather drops below zero Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- goose
- lunatic
- fool
- nut
- idiot
- moron
- booby
- cuckoo
- monkey
- dingbat
- jackass
- mooncalf
- loser
- berk
- nincompoop
- ninny
- git
- simp
- charlie
- dipstick
- doofus
- simpleton
- dummy
- donkey
- nutcase
- ding-a-ling
- ding-dong
- ninnyhammer
- nitwit
- featherhead
- charley
- daredevil
- yo-yo
- half-wit
- nit
- gander
- dumbbell
- butt
- stock
- dodo
- imbecile
- dope
- birdbrain
- pinhead
- ignoramus
- blockhead
- numskull
- madwoman
- madman
- dolt
- character
- knucklehead
- schnook
- chump
- dork
- schlump
- dunce
- fathead
- crank
- goon
- airhead
- scatterbrain
- schlemiel
- featherbrain
- weirdo
- numbskull
- crackpot
- dupe
- screwball
- mockery
- schlub
- laughingstock
- oddball
- codger
- shlub
- kook
- know-nothing
- crackbrain
- shlemiel
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- brain
- sage
- thinker
- genius
2
as in idiot
a stupid person you turkey, that wasn't my boyfriend—it was my brother! Synonyms & Similar Words
- idiot
- moron
- goose
- stupid
- dummy
- natural
- donkey
- loser
- mutt
- prat
- saphead
- dip
- lunatic
- gander
- dumbbell
- noodle
- cluck
- fool
- jerk
- dodo
- imbecile
- loon
- stock
- pinhead
- ignoramus
- hammerhead
- blockhead
- numskull
- dope
- birdbrain
- meathead
- yahoo
- stupe
- lunkhead
- cuddy
- bonehead
- jackass
- loggerhead
- dolt
- golem
- dumbhead
- lump
- knucklehead
- woodenhead
- schnook
- dim bulb
- dunderhead
- nimrod
- goof
- nincompoop
- hardhead
- skunk
- oaf
- dullard
- cretin
- ninny
- chowderhead
- villain
- dimwit
- deadhead
- noddy
- clodpole
- dork
- dunce
- fathead
- mome
- clown
- cuddie
- dumb cluck
- chucklehead
- dummkopf
- doofus
- goon
- simpleton
- airhead
- lamebrain
- clodpoll
- clunk
- snake
- numbskull
- clot
- schlub
- booby
- ninnyhammer
- nitwit
- thickhead
- dum-dum
- bubblehead
- yo-yo
- shlub
- mug
- know-nothing
- half-wit
- nit
- ratbag
- nut
- buffoon
- madman
- loony
- creep
- beast
- zany
- cad
- heel
- gawk
- stinker
- cur
- scatterbrain
- boor
- featherbrain
- churl
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- brain
- sage
- genius
- thinker
- intellect
- intellectual
- whiz
- wizard
- sharpie
- polymath
- Renaissance man
- sharpy
3
as in disaster
something that has failed his business venture ended up being a turkey, and he lost quite a bit of money on it Synonyms & Similar Words
- disaster
- bomb
- lemon
- failure
- catastrophe
- bust
- loser
- flop
- frost
- mess
- disappointment
- dog
- miss
- washout
- fiasco
- shipwreck
- dud
- hash
- clinker
- debacle
- fizzle
- clunker
- bummer
- débâcle
- near miss
- botch
- has-been
- shambles
- muddle
- nonevent
- nonstarter
- also-ran
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- success
- blockbuster
- winner
- hit
- smash
- corker
- phenomenon
- crackajack
- dandy
- crackerjack
- jim-dandy