hen Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun adult female chicken
    biddy.
  2. noun adult female bird
  3. noun flesh of an older chicken suitable for stewing
  4. noun female of certain aquatic animals e.g. octopus or lobster

WordNet

Hen noun
Etymology
AS. henn, hen, hæn; akin to D. hen, OHG. henna, G. henne, Icel. hna, Dan. höna; the fem. corresponding to AS. hana cock, D. haan, OHG. hano, G. hahn, Icel. hani, Dan. & Sw. hane. Prob. akin to L. canere to sing, and orig. meaning, a singer. Cf. Chanticleer.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) The female of the domestic fowl; also, the female of grouse, pheasants, or any kind of birds; as, the heath hen; the gray hen. ✍ Used adjectively or in combination to indicate the female; as, hen canary, hen eagle, hen turkey, peahen.

Webster 1913