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marsh hen

noun
  1. any of various rails or raillike birds.
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Origin of marsh hen

An Americanism dating back to 1700–10
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for marsh hen

Historical Examples

  • Sedge′-hen, a marsh-hen; Sedge′-war′bler, a reed-warbler, the sedge-wren.

    Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)

    Various

  • Marsh-Hen, much the same as in Europe, only she makes another sort of Noise, and much shriller.

British Dictionary definitions for marsh hen

marsh hen

noun
  1. any bird that frequents marshes and swamps, esp a rail, coot, or gallinule
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012