What does dominique mean?
Dominique is a noun with two principal uses. Most distinctively, it names an American breed of domestic chicken regarded as one of the oldest in the United States, thought to have been brought by early European settlers. The breed is easily recognised by its black-and-white barred plumage — similar to that of the better-known Barred Plymouth Rock — and by its rose comb, which distinguishes it from that breed's single comb. Historically prized as a hardy dual-purpose bird, good for both eggs and meat, the Dominique remains popular with heritage-breed fanciers and small farms. Separately, Dominique is a given name of French origin, ultimately derived from the Latin Dominicus, meaning 'of the Lord', and borne historically by Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican order. In modern usage it appears across many cultures and genders, sometimes spelled Dominik or Dominic depending on language and tradition.
An American breed of domestic chicken with black-and-white barred plumage and a rose comb, among the oldest chicken breeds in the United States.
"The heritage farm keeps a small flock of Dominiques alongside its other rare breeds."
A given name of French origin, from Latin Dominicus ('of the Lord'), used for people of any gender.
"Dominique was named after her grandmother, who came from Lyon."
Used when referring to multiple birds of the breed; the name sense does not normally take a plural.
"Several Dominiques wandered freely around the barnyard."
The Dominique may well be the oldest chicken breed in America — it likely crossed the Atlantic with early European settlers centuries ago.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dominique
As a personal name, Dominique comes from French, ultimately from the Late Latin name Dominicus, meaning 'of the Lord', formed on dominus, 'lord or master'. The name spread through Christian Europe largely via Saint Dominic, the 13th-century founder of the Dominican order. When applied to the chicken breed, the name reflects the same French heritage, as the breed was long associated with early French and other European settlers in colonial America; its precise origins are uncertain but it was well established in the United States by the 19th century.
How dominique is actually used
As a common noun referring to the chicken breed, 'Dominique' is typically capitalised like other breed names derived from proper nouns. As a personal name it is used for all genders, though spelling variants such as 'Dominik' or 'Dominique' differ by region and gender convention.
Easily confused with dominique
The Dominique has a rose comb while the similarly barred Barred Plymouth Rock has a single upright comb.