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
The tray is also leak-proof, which ensures your hens can safely peck around in the open run below it.
—
Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025
An average-sized production facility in the U.S. can house 75,000 to 500,000 hens.
—Jack Buffington, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2025
Rink also believes the category works well with seafood and white meat, especially those with weighty textures and rich flavors like scallops with beurre blanc or an earthy, rustic preparation of chicken or Cornish hen.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2025
In what feels like an homage to that dish, a Miami favorite, is Shiso Chicken Please, a Cornish hen that comes with one half smoked and the other half fried and served with white barbecue sauce.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hen
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.
Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025
An average-sized production facility in the U.S. can house 75,000 to 500,000 hens.
—Jack Buffington, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2025
Rink also believes the category works well with seafood and white meat, especially those with weighty textures and rich flavors like scallops with beurre blanc or an earthy, rustic preparation of chicken or Cornish hen.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2025
In what feels like an homage to that dish, a Miami favorite, is Shiso Chicken Please, a Cornish hen that comes with one half smoked and the other half fried and served with white barbecue sauce.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 19 Mar. 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 29 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hen
noun1
: a female chicken especially over a year old
2
: a female of any bird
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share