henhouse
UK[ˈhenhaʊs]US[ˈhenhaʊs]
n
a small building where hens are kept
Morpheme Breakdown
hen
house
hen
bird
house
building
Etymology
the word 'henhouse' is a transparent compound formed from two old english (germanic) roots. 'hen' descends from the old english henn, specifically denoting the female domestic fowl, a term with deep germanic roots. 'house' comes from the old english hūs, referring broadly to a dwelling or shelter. the compound logically combines these elements to create a specific term for the shelter or building designed to house hens, following a straightforward pattern common in english where two nouns are joined to specify a type of structure (e.g., boathouse, storehouse). its formation represents a practical, descriptive approach to vocabulary building within the germanic tradition of english.
Analysis
Structure: hen (bird) + house (building)
hen: from old english henn, of germanic origin; the female domestic fowl.
house: from old english hūs, of germanic origin; a building for human habitation or a specific purpose.
Examples
the farmer collected fresh eggs from the henhouse each morning.
a fox managed to break into the henhouse during the night.
they built a new, larger henhouse to accommodate their growing flock.