noun
a common farm bird kept for its eggs and meat
The chickens are in the yard.
This chicken lays a lot of eggs.
Common phrases & grammar
raise chickens · chicken coop · chicken eggs
a/the chicken + verb
chicken + noun
American English
How to pronounce chicken
noun · adjectiveA1Common word
CHIHkn
/ˈʧɪ.kn̩/
2 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
a common farm bird kept for its eggs and meat
Practice out loudMeanings & examples
noun
the meat from this bird, used as food
We had chicken for dinner.
She cooked some chicken with rice.
Good to know
For food, chicken usually has no plural: We ate chicken, not chickens.
Common phrases & grammar
grilled chicken · fried chicken · chicken breast · chicken soup
eat/cook + chicken
some/a piece of + chicken
nouninformalless common
a person who is not brave because they are afraid to do something
Don't be a chicken.
They called him a chicken for refusing to jump.
Good to know
This meaning is informal. Use coward in more formal situations.
Common phrases & grammar
be + a chicken
call + someone + a chicken
adjectiveinformal
not brave because you are afraid to do something
I'm too chicken to ask her.
He was chicken about going alone.
Good to know
This adjective is informal and often comes after be.
Common phrases & grammar
be + chicken
be + too chicken + to + verb
Useful expressions
to decide not to do something because you are afraid
She chickened out before the interview.
to play a dangerous game in which each person tries to make the other stop or move first
The two drivers were playing chicken.
a problem in which it is difficult to know which of two things came first or caused the other
It is a chicken-and-egg problem.