Chicken Little

noun

1. a person who constantly warns that a calamity is imminent; a vociferous pessimist.

   The Chicken Littles are warning that the stock market will collapse.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Chicken Little¹

From a character in nursery tales (also known as Henny Penny, Chicken-Diddle, or Chicken-Licken) who, when struck on the head by an object from above, panics and believes that the sky is falling

Related Words

• pessimist