offal

noun

of·​fal ˈȯ-fəl 

ˈä-

1

: the waste or by-product of a process: such as

a

: trimmings (such as the belly, head, and shoulders) of a hide

b

: the by-products of milling (as of wheat or barley) used especially for stock feeds

c

: the viscera and trimmings of a butchered animal removed in preparing it for market or for consumption : variety meat

2

: rubbish

Did you know?

In its original sense, offal refers to something that has fallen or been cast away from some process of preparation or manufacture, and it has been used to describe such things as the stalks and dust from tobacco leaves, the less valuable portions of an animal hide, the by-products of milling grain, and the viscera and trimmings of a butchered animal. The word offal, however, is not an etymological cast-off, but is an English original that arose in the late 14th century as a combination of of (the Middle English spelling of "off") and fall, aptly naming that which "falls off" or is cast aside from something else. Since the late 16th century, offal has also been used as a synonym for trash, garbage, and rubbish.

Synonyms

• chaff
• deadwood
• debris
• dreck
• drek
• dross
• dust
• effluvium
• effluvia
• garbage
• junk
• litter
• offscouring
• raffle
• refuse
• riffraff
• rubbish
• scrap
• spilth
• trash
• truck
• waste

Examples of offal in a Sentence

a pile of offal from the tannery operating in the neighborhood

Recent Examples on the Web

Many bear problems happen around hunting camps and fly-in fishing sites because the bears get used to finding offal and garbage there. —Lizz Schumer, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025

The rich and savory treat was one of several delicacies prepared that night using offal, or organ meats. —Miguel Otárola, The Denver Post, 28 Jan. 2025

Only one entry, Denver Bone Broth, focused on making offal more edible to humans. —Miguel Otárola, The Denver Post, 28 Jan. 2025

Is her dead cat gonna get thrown into the offal pile? —Alice Burton, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from of off + fall

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for offal

• awful
• lawful
• waffle
• unlawful

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Kids Definition

offal

noun

of·​fal ˈȯ-fəl 

ˈäf-əl

: the waste or by-product of a process

especially : the inside organs of and parts trimmed from an animal killed and prepared for food

fish offal