Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHUK, n.

A word used in calling swine. It is the original name of that animal, which our ancestors brought with them from Persia, where it is still in use, Pers. chuk, Zend. chuk, a hog; Sans. sugara. Our ancestors while in England, adopted the Welsh hwc, hog, but chuck is retained in our popular name of woodchuck, that is wood hog. This is a remarkable proof of the original seat of the Teutonic nations. I have taken chuk from Adelung. The French cochon may be the same word.