chicken
Americannoun
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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.
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the young of this bird, especially when less than a year old.
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the flesh of the chicken, especially of the young bird, used as food.
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Slang.
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a cowardly or fearful person.
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a young or inexperienced person, especially a young girl.
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petty details or tasks.
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unnecessary discipline or regulations.
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a young gay male, especially one sought as a sexual partner by older men.
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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.
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a policy or strategy of challenging an opponent to risk a clash or yield.
diplomats playing chicken at the conference table.
adjective
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(of food) containing, made from, or having the flavor of chicken.
chicken salad; chicken soup.
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Slang.
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petty or trivial.
a chicken regulation.
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obsessed with petty details, regulations, etc..
He's quitting this chicken outfit to become his own boss.
verb phrase
idioms
noun
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a domestic fowl bred for its flesh or eggs, esp a young one
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the flesh of such a bird used for food
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any of various similar birds, such as a prairie chicken
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slang a cowardly person
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slang a young inexperienced person
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slang an underage boy or girl regarded as a potential target for sexual abuse
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informal any of various, often dangerous, games or challenges in which the object is to make one's opponent lose his nerve
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to be overoptimistic in acting on expectations which are not yet fulfilled
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informal disorganized and uncontrolled
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slang no longer young
she's no chicken
adjective
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.
Vocabulary lists containing chicken
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She threw away an old pan, thinking maybe she had burned some grease on it while cooking chicken that day.
From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026
A chicken parmesan version — marinara, mozzarella, maybe a little basil — feels like the most dramatic.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
Budget Bytes also has recipes for ground chicken and turkey burgers with cost breakdowns that add up to less than $2 per serving.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil, add ground chicken and cook until almost browned, then pour in tomato sauce and let everything simmer.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
“My mom’s been trying to fix Ray up. He told her not to. He said it made him feel like yesterday’s chicken wings.”
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
