turkey domestic turkey A large fowl, one of the two species in the genus Meleagris and the same as the wild turkey. [...] all of the main domestic turkey varieties today descend from the turkey raised in central Mexico that was subsequently imported into Europe by the Spanish in the 16th century. Meleagris gallopavo Linnaeus, 1758 meleagris gallopavo turkey Meleagris gallopavo ready for release