Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

chicken-fighters

plural noun
variants: or less commonly chicken-fights

Definition of chicken-fighters

: the flowers of several violets (as Viola cucullata) one petal of which is spurred

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for chicken-fighters

so called from a children's game in which each of two participants tries to decapitate the other's flower by pulling on the stem of his or her own, one spurred petal (likened to a cock's spur) of which is interlocked with that of the adversary's flower

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about chicken-fighters

Statistics for chicken-fighters

Look-up Popularity

Comments on chicken-fighters

What made you want to look up chicken-fighters? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

belfry

Listen to the pronounciation of belfry

a bell tower

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Where in the World? A Quiz

  • peter bruegel tower of babel painting
  • What language does pajama come from?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games