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
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Hen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hen. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hen
noun1
: a female chicken especially over a year old
2
: a female of any bird
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