# pork

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɔːk/ · frequency rank #6,822

## Definitions
1. The meat of a pig.
2. Funding proposed or requested by a member of Congress for special interests or their constituency as opposed to the good of the country as a whole.
3. law enforcement, those who side with criminal prosecution

## Etymology
From Middle English pork, porc, via Anglo-Norman, from Old French porc (“swine, hog, pig; pork”), from Latin porcus (“domestic hog, pig”).
Cognate with Old English fearh (“piglet”). Doublet of farrow. Compare also other West Germanic words for pigs: Ferkel, Ferke, and varken.
Used in English since the 14th century, and as a term of abuse since the 17th century.
US politics sense is related to pork barrel.

## Easily confused with
- **PR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pr)
- **pro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pro)
- **pot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pot)
- **pos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pos)
- **POW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pow)
- **POV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pov)
- **PRC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-prc)
- **pry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pry)
- **pox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pox)
- **PRA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pra)
- **pur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pur)
- **PRS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-prs)
- **post** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-post)
- **port** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-port)
- **pure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pure)
- **porn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-porn)
- **punk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-punk)
- **pose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pose)
- **pour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pour)
- **pots** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pork-vs-pots)

## Common misspellings (6)
`oprk`, `pokr`, `porkk`, `porrk`, `ppork`, `prok`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pork