cloccian

utter a hen’s cry

1 / 2

A domestic hen pauses over exposed grain, beak slightly open in a low, relaxed calling posture, while two chicks turn and approach her.

noun / verb

cluck

KLUK/klʌk/

A short henlike or tongue-clicking sound, or the act of making it.

Etymology

cluckOld Englishutter a hen’s cry

Old English cloccian imitated the hen’s call rather than describing it through other roots. The modern verb preserves that direct connection between the word’s sound and the noise it names.

Full entry

Related word entries

cluckHenlike sound
cluckFoolish person