Gamy describes meat that has a strong, distinctive flavor, often from wild animals like deer, duck, or rabbit. When hunters bring home venison (deer meat) or wild turkey, people sometimes describe it as tasting gamy, meaning it doesn't taste like the milder chicken or beef you'd buy at a grocery store. The flavor is richer, more intense, and sometimes a bit earthy or musky.

Whether someone likes gamy meat depends on personal taste. Some people love that bold, wild flavor and think it makes the meat more interesting. Others prefer the gentler taste of farm-raised animals. The gaminess usually comes from the animal's diet of wild plants and its active lifestyle roaming through forests or fields.

The word comes from game, which means wild animals hunted for food. So when something tastes gamy, it reminds you that this meat came from an animal that lived free in nature, not on a farm. Chefs sometimes reduce gaminess by marinating the meat in wine, herbs, or vinegar, though many people who enjoy hunting wouldn't want to cover up that authentic wild taste.