hen

UK: /ˈhɛn/ US: /hɛn/ ,(hen)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

hen /hɛn/   n. [countable]

1. Animal Husbandry the female of the domestic fowl.
2. Birds the female of any bird.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

hen  (hen), n. 

1. Animal Husbandry the female of the domestic fowl.
2. Birds the female of any bird, esp. of a gallinaceous bird.
3. [Informal] (often disparaging and offensive). a woman, esp. a busybody or gossip.

• bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English hen(n) (compare Old English hana cock); cognate with German Henne; akin to Latin canere to sing

hen′like′, adj. 
hen′nish, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hen / hɛn/ noun

1. the female of any bird, esp the adult female of the domestic fowl
2. the female of certain other animals, such as the lobster
3. a woman regarded as gossipy or foolish
4. a term of address (often affectionate), used to women and girls
5. scarce as hen's teeth ⇒ extremely rare

Etymology: Old English henn; related to Old High German henna, Old Frisian henne