# broody

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈbɹuːdi/ · frequency rank #71,358

## Definitions
1. Of birds: sitting persistently and protectively on a nest, in order to hatch eggs.
2. Of any creature or person: showing an interest in raising young.
3. Brooding, dwelling upon one's thoughts; moody.
4. Gloomy.

## Etymology
From Middle English *brody, *brodi, from Old English brōdiġ (“broody”), equivalent to brood + -y. Cognate with German brütig (“broody”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/broody