What does henpeck mean?
Henpeck means to nag or pester someone persistently. It is especially associated with the traditional image of a wife continually criticizing or badgering her husband, as in the familiar expression “a henpecked husband.” Although the verb can still be understood literally in older writing, its dominant modern use is figurative and carries an old-fashioned, often humorous tone. Contemporary usage is not necessarily restricted to marital relationships: one may henpeck a friend, colleague, or fellow committee member. The related adjective “henpecked” describes someone subjected to such persistent pressure, while “henpecker” denotes a person who nags. Henpeck is useful because it compresses the idea of repeated, wearing complaints into a vivid verb that immediately suggests both persistence and irritation.
verbTo nag or pester someone persistently, especially a husband by his wife.
- To nag or pester someone persistently, especially a spouse.
"She henpecked him until he finally agreed to repair the broken fence."
"His colleagues henpecked him until he withdrew his objection to the proposal."
"The old henpecked husband complained that his wife never let a disagreement rest."
It began with the image of a chicken pecking and graduated to the far less poultry matter of marital nagging.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of henpeck
Henpeck dates from the early seventeenth century and combines the English words “hen” and “peck.” Its development relies on a metaphor from a bird's repeated pecking to persistent human nagging. The related forms “henpecker” and “henpecked” were established alongside the verb, and the word belongs to a family that also includes “pecker” and the familiar verb “peck.”
Related word forms
How henpeck is actually used
The word is old-fashioned and now more often humorous than seriously derogatory. Its conventional associations with a wife nagging her husband reflect a traditional gender stereotype, although modern speakers also use it more neutrally for anyone who is persistently nagged.