# chicken

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈt͡ʃɪkɪn/ · frequency rank #2,334

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

## Etymology
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”).

## Easily confused with
- **chicks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chicken-vs-chicks)
- **cricket** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chicken-vs-cricket)
- **clicked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chicken-vs-clicked)
- **chucked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chicken-vs-chucked)
- **clicker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chicken-vs-clicker)
- **chickens** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chicken-vs-chickens)
- **chick** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chick-vs-chicken)
- **checked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/checked-vs-chicken)
- **checker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/checker-vs-chicken)
- **Chechen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chechen-vs-chicken)

## Common misspellings (11)
`cchicken`, `chciken`, `chhicken`, `chiccken`, `chicekn`, `chickenn`, `chickken`, `chickne`, `chikcen`, `cihcken`, `hcicken`

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