chicken

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable) A domesticated subspecies of red junglefowl (Gallus gallus domesticus), especially so-called when young.
2. (uncountable) The meat from this bird eaten as food.
3. (archaic, countable, uncountable) The young of any bird; a chick.
4. (countable, derogatory, slang, sometimes) A coward.
5. (countable, derogatory, slang, sometimes) A young or inexperienced person.
6. (Polari, countable) A young, attractive, slim man, usually having little body hair; compare chickenhawk.
7. (uncountable) The game of dare.
8. (countable, uncountable) The game of dare.
9. (countable, uncountable) A simple dance in which the movements of a chicken are imitated.
10. (US, countable, slang, uncountable) A kilogram of cocaine.
11. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A small pewter pot used in a tavern.

Adj

Cowardly.

Verb

To avoid a situation one is afraid of.

Synonyms

fowl

hen

🐔

coward

chick

bird

🐦

rooster

🐓

wimp

yellow

poultry

fearful

😨

scaredy-cat

cock

cowardly

white-livered

chickenhearted

craven

yellow-bellied

chook

broiler

owl

🦉

pig

🐖

pullet

dove

🕊️

recreant

spider

🕷️

spineless

spring chicken

timid

faint-hearted

wuss

poulet

volaille

cockerel

Gallus gallus

gizzard

lily-livered

crybaby

sheep

🐑

ass

🍑

baby

👶

biddy

billet-doux

clitoris

coot

dog

🐕

domestic fowl

etc.

female

♀️

frier

fryer

Translations

poulet

🐔

poule

🐔

pollo

🐔

Huhn

🐔

pollo

🐔

kip

🐔

κοτόπουλο

gallina

🐔

galinha

🐔

frango

pollastre

Hühnchen

gallina

🐔

Hähnchen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈt͡ʃɪkɪn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: chiken

Cognate with English: chick

Inherited from Old English: ċicen

Cognate with Northern Frisian: schückling

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Sjuuken

Cognate with Dutch: kuiken

Cognate with German: Küken

Cognate with German: Küchlein

Cognate with Old Norse: kjúklingr

In summary

From Middle English chiken (also as chike > English chick), from Old English ċicen, ċycen (“chicken”), of uncertain origin. Possibly from Proto-West Germanic *kiukīn (“chicken”), or alternatively from Proto-West Germanic *kukkīn, equivalent to cock + -en.
Compare North Frisian schückling (“chicken”), Saterland Frisian Sjuuken (“chicken”), Dutch kuiken (“chick, chicken”), German Low German Küken (“chick”), whence German Küken (“chick”), (elevated, obsolete) German Küchlein (“chick”) and Old Norse kjúklingr (“chicken”).