hen
UK[hen]US[hen]
n
An adult female chicken, especially one kept for its eggs.
n
A female of any bird species.
Etymology
The word 'hen' has a direct lineage from the Proto-Germanic \hanjō, which specifically denoted the female of the bird. This term is part of a wider Indo-European root related to singing or calling, evident in the rooster's crow. Over time in English, the word specialized to refer exclusively to the female chicken, while the male acquired distinct names like 'cock' or 'rooster'. Its simplicity and ancient roots make it a core, unanalyzable element of the English vocabulary for domestic fowl.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Germanic origin. The Old English form was henn, which functioned as a feminine noun for the bird.
Examples
The farmer collected fresh eggs from the hen each morning.
We could hear the soft clucking of the hen as she tended her chicks.
The hen pheasant has more subdued plumage than the brightly colored male.