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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.

henhouse – Meaning, Etymology & Word Origin | OpenEtymology