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Glite Dictionary
henwife

henwife

1 9.9
A woman who keeps hens and collects their eggs
  • noun
  • /ˈhɛnˌwaɪf/
  • Archaic
translation icon : gallinera
  • Each day, the henwife would collect fresh eggs from the coop and share them with her family.

Examples

  • The village henwife was known for her delicious fresh eggs.

  • Every morning, the henwife would feed the hens and collect their eggs.

  • Stories about the wise old henwife were told to children in the countryside.

  • The old henwife tended to her flock every morning.

  • Many henwives in the village sell fresh eggs.

  • The henwife carefully tended to her chickens every morning, ensuring they had enough food and water.

  • In the village, the henwife was known for her special bond with her hens, often talking to them as if they were her friends.

Synonyms

poulter
vshenwife
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A person who looks after, breeds, and sells domestic birds like chickens and ducks

is used only for a woman rather than any person

Surface Forms

henwife singular
henwives plural

Morphology

henwife = hen + wife (semi-transparent) = hen + wife

Formally 'hen' + 'wife' straightforwardly denotes a woman who keeps hens, but 'wife' historically meant 'woman' and the term is archaic, so modern learners may be misled by 'wife' implying marital status.

Etymology

Henwife comes from two simple parts: hen meaning 'female chicken' and wife meaning 'woman' in older English, like in midwife. So a henwife is simply a woman who keeps and looks after hens and collects their eggs.