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Synonyms

spring chicken

American  

noun

  1. a young chicken, especially a broiler or fryer.

  2. Slang.  a young person.

    I don't know his age, but he's no spring chicken.
spring chicken British  

noun

  1. Also called: springer.  a young chicken, tender for cooking, esp one from two to ten months old

  2. informal  she is no longer young

"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
spring chicken Idioms  

  1. see no spring chicken.

Etymology

Origin of spring chicken

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

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.

As impersonated by Matt Walker, the company’s director and comic frontman, he makes the late-career Las Vegas singer look like a spring chicken.

From Los Angeles Times

“The papacy is a huge burden. Especially for an older man,” Adeyemi replies, cutting his eyes at Tremblay, no spring chicken, in a particular way.

From Salon

“I mean, I’m 40 years old. I know I’m not a spring chicken anymore.”

From Seattle Times

“I’m not a 22-year-old spring chicken anymore. I’m 31 and I got to find a way to stay fresh and stay warm.”

From Los Angeles Times

Mr Biden turns 81 on Monday, making him the oldest president ever, with Mr Trump no spring chicken at 77.

From BBC

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.