mother hen

noun

1. a person who attends to the welfare of others, especially one who is fussily protective.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mother hen¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

He described her then as “a mother hen who took care of everyone.”

From The Daily Beast

Nemirovskaya, with her robust intellectual and physical presence, plays the role of chair and mother hen.

From The Daily Beast

Everyone adored her, and she was a real mother hen to all three girls.

From The Daily Beast

“It was one of those magical moments, and Julie was our mother hen,” he said of Taymor.

From The Daily Beast

The Jumbotron was set up facing Alma Mater, the crowds nestled round her like chicks round a bronze mother hen.

From The Daily Beast

But the mother hen determined, 'a la General Grant,' to set it out on this nest 'if it took all summer!'

From Project Gutenberg

I have neglected to tell you that the mother hen is black, and struts with pompous pride above her white and octoroon subjects.

From Project Gutenberg

Instead they obey the clucking of the mother hen, and "tweet" disdainfully at their haughty sire.

From Project Gutenberg

Toots' mamma sat by his side with a huge basket in her lap containing a fine old mother hen with ten little chicks.

From Project Gutenberg

Two players are chosen—one to be the mother hen and the other to be the fox, who is after a chicken for his meal.

From Project Gutenberg