What does hennery mean?
A hennery is an establishment where hens are kept or bred. The word most often refers to a poultry farm or a specialized part of a farm concerned with hens, although it can also describe the premises more generally. Its formation is transparent: it combines the familiar word “hen” with the suffix “-ery,” which is used in several English nouns denoting places or establishments. The word has a somewhat old-fashioned, rural character and is more common in historical writing, agricultural contexts, or descriptions of traditional farms than in routine modern speech. Its specificity distinguishes it from the broader “poultry farm,” which may keep chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other birds. Despite being uncommon, “hennery” remains useful because it names a precise kind of animal-keeping establishment with a distinctly traditional ring.
nounAn establishment where hens are kept or bred, especially a poultry farm devoted to hens.
- An establishment where hens are kept or bred.
"The old hennery at the edge of the village supplied fresh eggs to the local market."
"The farmer established a small hennery to raise laying hens."
"The farm's former hennery has been converted into a visitor centre."
The standard plural adds both the plural suffix and an intervening e.
"Several small henneries supply the town with fresh eggs."
A hennery is an old-fashioned name for a place with a very specific mission: keeping and breeding hens.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of hennery
Hennery was formed in English from the base “hen” and the productive suffix “-ery,” which creates nouns denoting places or establishments. Its base word continues Old English henn, a Germanic term for a female chicken or related bird; the resulting compound follows the same basic English pattern represented by words such as henhouse and henpen.
Related word forms
How hennery is actually used
Rare in everyday contemporary English and more likely to occur in historical, agricultural, or specialized contexts.