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.
As of June 1, there were about 285 million egg-laying hens in the country. Scott Horsley, NPR, 1 July 2025 Mud hen bars are made up of three layers: a blondie-style base layer, a middle layer made with chocolate chips, and a meringue topping. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 May 2025 In a video from New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC), a small egg that looks a bit like a hen’s egg pops out of its neck. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 May 2025 These are the areas that toms will head to mid-morning in order to strut, gobble, and attract hens. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 1 May 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 11 Jul. 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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