WATER HEN

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does water hen mean? 

• WATER HEN (noun)
  The noun WATER HEN has 2 senses:

1. a coot found in North America

2. any of various small aquatic birds of the genus Gallinula distinguished from rails by a frontal shield and a resemblance to domestic hens

  Familiarity information: WATER HEN used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WATER HEN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A coot found in North America

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

American coot; Fulica americana; marsh hen; mud hen; water hen

Hypernyms ("water hen" is a kind of...):

coot (slate-black slow-flying birds somewhat resembling ducks)

Holonyms ("water hen" is a member of...):

Fulica; genus Fulica (coots)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any of various small aquatic birds of the genus Gallinula distinguished from rails by a frontal shield and a resemblance to domestic hens

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

gallinule; marsh hen; swamphen; water hen

Hypernyms ("water hen" is a kind of...):

aquatic bird (wading and swimming and diving birds of either fresh or salt water)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "water hen"):

Florida gallinule; Gallinula chloropus cachinnans (North American dark bluish-grey gallinule)

Gallinula chloropus; moorhen (black gallinule that inhabits ponds and lakes)

purple gallinule (gallinules with showy purplish plumage)

Holonyms ("water hen" is a member of...):

Gallinula; genus Gallinula (gallinules)