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
And the Californian squab grilled over pine is served alongside hen-of-the-woods mushroom and atop a black-truffle jus.
—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
16 June 2026
The color of the yolk can range from pale yellow to bright orange, and is an indication of a hen's diet rather than freshness.
—
Michelle Darrisaw,
Southern Living,
10 June 2026
Oversized animals, including dinosaurs, bulls, roosters, hens and seals, also multiplied.
—
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Today, a lot fewer egg-laying hens have this problem than during the 1980s and 1990s, so eggs are safer.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hen
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Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
16 June 2026
The color of the yolk can range from pale yellow to bright orange, and is an indication of a hen's diet rather than freshness.
—
Michelle Darrisaw,
Southern Living,
10 June 2026
Oversized animals, including dinosaurs, bulls, roosters, hens and seals, also multiplied.
—
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Today, a lot fewer egg-laying hens have this problem than during the 1980s and 1990s, so eggs are safer.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hen
Cite this Entry
“Hen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hen. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hen
noun1
: a female chicken especially over a year old
2
: a female of any bird
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