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
Michigan law follows the 2017 United Egg Producer requirements for cage-free standards, which means the hens should have at least 1 square foot of floor space.
—
Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The disease has forced egg producers to cull millions of laying hens, sharply reducing supply at times when demand has remained steady or increased.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 Jan. 2026
The comings and goings of the many planes at the little field bugged the Marine Corps brass and rattled the hens at the chicken ranch that was once right about where Cold War-era bowlers would one day rattle the pins at Frontier Lanes.
—Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Most families have a few hens, a flock of sheep, a patch of greens and potatoes; on bigger farms there are cows whose milk and butter are sold locally.
—Sarah Moss, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hen
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Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The disease has forced egg producers to cull millions of laying hens, sharply reducing supply at times when demand has remained steady or increased.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 Jan. 2026
The comings and goings of the many planes at the little field bugged the Marine Corps brass and rattled the hens at the chicken ranch that was once right about where Cold War-era bowlers would one day rattle the pins at Frontier Lanes.
—Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Most families have a few hens, a flock of sheep, a patch of greens and potatoes; on bigger farms there are cows whose milk and butter are sold locally.
—Sarah Moss, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 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 5 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hen
noun1
: a female chicken especially over a year old
2
: a female of any bird
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