marsh hen

noun

any of various rails or raillike birds.

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 of marsh hen

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.
A New Voyage to Carolina
John Lawson

British Dictionary definitions for marsh hen

marsh hen

noun

any bird that frequents marshes and swamps, esp a rail, coot, or gallinule

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