chicken Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the flesh of a chicken used for food
    poulet; volaille.
  2. noun a domestic fowl bred for flesh or eggs; believed to have been developed from the red jungle fowl
    Gallus gallus.
  3. noun a person who lacks confidence, is irresolute and wishy-washy
    crybaby; wimp.
  4. noun a foolhardy competition; a dangerous activity that is continued until one competitor becomes afraid and stops
  5. adjective satellite easily frightened
    white-livered; yellow-bellied; yellow; chickenhearted; lily-livered.

WordNet

Chick"en noun
Etymology
AS. cicen, cyceun, dim. of coc cock; akin to LG. kiken, küken, D. Kieken, kuiken, G. küchkein. See Cock the animal.
Definitions
  1. A young bird or fowl, esp. a young barnyard fowl.
  2. A young person; a child; esp. a young woman; a maiden. "Stella is no chicken." Swift.

Webster 1913