noun
Meaning 1
A female chicken who bears eggs or chicks.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: literally
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Phrase guide
mother hen
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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noun
Meaning 2
An outspoken and overprotective woman or person dealing with others' affairs; especially, an assertive matriarch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
Alternative form of mother-hen.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
a hen with chicks
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hen, biddy
noun
Meaning 5
a person who cares for the needs of others (especially in an overprotective or interfering way)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
18 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Catalan: lloca — female chicken
- German: Glucke — female chicken
- Hungarian: tyúkanyó — female chicken
- Hungarian: kotlós — female chicken
- Polish: kwoka — female chicken
- Romanian: cloșcă — female chicken
- Spanish: gallina — female chicken
- Tamil: தாய்க்கோழி (tāykkōḻi) — female chicken
- Unami: nushehële — female chicken
- Catalan: lloca — overprotective woman
- Dutch: moederkloek — overprotective woman
- French: mère poule — overprotective woman
- German: Glucke — overprotective woman
- Irish: cearc ghoir — overprotective woman
- Italian: mamma chioccia — overprotective woman
- Polish: nadopiekuńcza matka — overprotective woman
- Russian: клу́ша (klúša) — overprotective woman
- Swedish: hönsmamma — overprotective woman