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
Outbreaks of avian influenza in 2025 alone have resulted in the culling of more than 30 million hens, according to USDA, sending egg prices soaring.
—
Andrea Hsu, NPR, 30 May 2025
Still, egg prices remain near historic highs as a persistent outbreak of bird flu continues to wipe out flocks of egg-laying hens.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 13 May 2025
Nevada in February suspended a 2021 law requiring all eggs sold in the state to come from cage-free hens.
—Tom Polansek, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025
Turkey snoods signal dominance to both hens and gobblers alike.
—Alice Jones Webb, Outdoor Life, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hen
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Andrea Hsu, NPR, 30 May 2025
Still, egg prices remain near historic highs as a persistent outbreak of bird flu continues to wipe out flocks of egg-laying hens.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 13 May 2025
Nevada in February suspended a 2021 law requiring all eggs sold in the state to come from cage-free hens.
—Tom Polansek, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025
Turkey snoods signal dominance to both hens and gobblers alike.
—Alice Jones Webb, Outdoor Life, 21 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 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hen
noun1
: a female chicken especially over a year old
2
: a female of any bird
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