hen

hen · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A female chicken, especially one kept for laying eggs.

  2. 2.

    The female of any bird, especially a domestic fowl.

  3. 3.

    (informal, British) A woman, especially an older one (sometimes considered offensive).

Forms

plural: hens

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    mother hen — an overprotective person, especially a woman
  • •
    hen party — a party for women only, especially a pre-wedding celebration
  • •
    scarce as hen's teeth — extremely rare (hens don't have teeth)
  • •
    hen-pecked — dominated by a wife or female partner

Related words

Antonyms: cock, rooster
See also: chick, chicken, poultry, rooster
Synonyms: biddy, chicken, fowl

Etymology

From Old English henn ("hen"), from Proto-Germanic hanjō. Related to Latin canere ("to sing"), from the hen's clucking sounds.