chicken

American  

[chik-uhn] / ˈtʃɪk ən /

noun

• chickens
  plural

1. a domestic fowl, Gallus domesticus, descended from various jungle fowl, especially the red jungle fowl, and developed in a number of breeds for its flesh, eggs, and feathers.

2. the young of this bird, especially when less than a year old.

3. the flesh of the chicken, especially of the young bird, used as food.

4. Slang.

   1. a cowardly or fearful person.

   2. a young or inexperienced person, especially a young girl.

   3. petty details or tasks.

   4. unnecessary discipline or regulations.

   5. a young gay male, especially one sought as a sexual partner by older men.

5. a contest in which two cars approach each other at high speed down the center of a road, the object being to force one's opponent to veer away first.

6. a policy or strategy of challenging an opponent to risk a clash or yield.

   diplomats playing chicken at the conference table.

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adjective

1. (of food) containing, made from, or having the flavor of chicken.

   chicken salad; chicken soup.

2. Slang.

   1. cowardly.

   2. petty or trivial.

      a chicken regulation.

   3. obsessed with petty details, regulations, etc..

      He's quitting this chicken outfit to become his own boss.

verb phrase

1. chicken out

   1. to refrain from doing something because of fear or cowardice.

      I chickened out when I saw how deep the water was.

   2. to renege or withdraw.

      You can't chicken out of this business deal now.

idioms

1. count one's chickens before they are hatched, to rely on a benefit that is still uncertain.

   They were already spending wildly, in anticipation of their inheritance, counting their chickens before they were hatched.

chicken British  

/ ˈtʃɪkɪn /

noun

1. a domestic fowl bred for its flesh or eggs, esp a young one

2. the flesh of such a bird used for food

3. any of various similar birds, such as a prairie chicken

4. slang a cowardly person

5. slang a young inexperienced person

6. slang an underage boy or girl regarded as a potential target for sexual abuse

7. informal any of various, often dangerous, games or challenges in which the object is to make one's opponent lose his nerve

8. to be overoptimistic in acting on expectations which are not yet fulfilled

9. informal disorganized and uncontrolled

10. slang no longer young

    she's no chicken

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adjective

1. slang easily scared; cowardly; timid

chicken More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing chicken

• count one's chickens
• go to bed with (the chickens)
• like a chicken with its head cut off
• no spring chicken

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chickens
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chicken

First recorded before 950; 1605–15 chicken for def. 4a; 1940–45 chicken for def. 6; Middle English chiken, Old English cīcen; akin to Middle Dutch kieken ( Dutch kuiken ), Low German küken

Explanation

A chicken is a domesticated bird that is raised on farms for meat or eggs. Many cities allow people to keep a few chickens in their yards as pets and egg layers. You can talk about your pet chicken with its brown feathers and funny feet, but you might also use the word chicken to order dinner at a restaurant: "I'll have the chicken." When a person is described as a chicken, it means she's easily scared or a coward. The Old English cicen, "young fowl," is the source of chicken. Calling someone chicken for being frightened has been hurting feelings since the 14th century.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chicken chickens

But he pointed to other issues; a collaboration involving the “Minions & Monsters” film didn’t drive traffic the way management thought it would, and neither did new chicken sandwiches.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026

He runs around like a chicken with his head cut off, trying to avoid questions about Jeffrey Epstein, his long list of no-bid contracts, and a wealth of other misdeeds.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026

Traditional flu shots are grown in chicken eggs, a process that takes about six months and forces manufacturers to guess months in advance which strains will circulate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

For more than 70 years, most annual flu vaccines have come from a manufacturing process that incubates the virus in chicken eggs.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

“Well,” said Bat, dipping his chicken chunk in ketchup.

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold

Of course being headless chickens we can’t think much.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026

Animal DNA came from cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs and cats.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

Emma and her husband Simon moved three years ago to Bédar, where they looked after 15 chickens and spent time with their three dogs.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

Chef and co-owner Danny Castillo has earned national acclaim for his Texas-style smoked brisket, chickens, sausages and other meats informed by the ethnic backgrounds of his crew — white, Mexican, Argentine, Filipino and others.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026

The chickens, after a moment of ruffled-feather confusion, did the same.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• hen
• poultry