from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Hen \Hen\, n. [AS. henn, hen, h[ae]n; akin to D. hen, OHG.
henna, G. henne, Icel. h?na, Dan. h["o]na; the fem.
corresponding to AS. hana cock, D. haan, OHG. hano, G. hahn,
Icel. hani, Dan. & Sw. hane. Prob. akin to L. canere to sing,
and orig. meaning, a singer. Cf. {Chanticleer}.] (Zool.)
The female of the domestic fowl; also, the female of grouse,
pheasants, or any kind of birds; as, the heath hen; the gray
hen.
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Note: Used adjectively or in combination to indicate the
female; as, hen canary, hen eagle, hen turkey, peahen.
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{Hen clam}. (Zool.)
(a) A clam of the {Mactra}, and allied genera; the sea clam
or surf clam. See {Surf clam}.
(b) A California clam of the genus {Pachydesma}.
{Hen driver}. See {Hen harrier} (below).
{Hen harrier} (Zool.), a hawk ({Circus cyaneus}), found in
Europe and America; -- called also {dove hawk}, {henharm},
{henharrow}, {hen driver}, and usually, in America, {marsh
hawk}. See {Marsh hawk}.
{Hen hawk} (Zool.), one of several species of large hawks
which capture hens; esp., the American red-tailed hawk
({Buteo borealis}), the red-shouldered hawk ({Buteo
lineatus}), and the goshawk.
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