bushmeat

noun

bush·​meat ˈbu̇sh-ˌmēt 

variants or less commonly bush meat

: meat obtained by hunting wild animals especially in Africa and Asia

Hahn's studies also alerted her to the spiraling trade in meat from wild animals, called bushmeat, which threatens chimps, gorillas, orangutans, and many other primate species with extinction.

—Discover, December 2002

The rarity of fish in West Africa contributes to the bushmeat trade—meaning that leopards, monkeys, hippos, and antelopes are paying the price of EU overfishing.

—Jonathan Stein, Mother Jones, March 2006

… an organization … which works in the Democratic Republic of Congo to protect bonobo habitats and to combat illegal trading in bush meat.

—Ian Parker, New Yorker, 30 July 2007

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!