1
a
: a female chicken especially over a year old
broadly : a female bird
b
: the female of various mostly aquatic animals (such as lobsters or fish)
2
: woman
especially : a fussy middle-aged woman

Examples of hen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What was originally imagined as a space for multigenerational groups has since become a coveted backdrop for yoga retreats and hen weekends—where guests inevitably jostle for the chance to curl up in one of the cabin beds. Chloe Frost-Smith, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025 The motif was also integrated into new prints in combination with other Jardini signatures, such as strings of pearls or the fun motif of a hen, including a special version of the animal wearing black optical frames just like the designer’s own. Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025 Produced by Pallas Film and View Master Films, the movie follows a hen who, after escaping from a chicken farm, finds refuge in the courtyard of a crumbling restaurant. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2025 Then scientists would inject the edited Nicobar pigeon PGCs into the embryos of regular chickens — roosters and hens — that have been genetically modified not to make their own germ cells. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hen

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English henn; akin to Old English hana rooster — more at chant

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hen was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hen. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

hen

noun
1
: a female chicken especially over a year old
2
: a female of any bird

More from Merriam-Webster on hen

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