hen-and-chickens
[ hen-uh n-chik-uh nz ]
/ ˈhɛn ənˈtʃɪk ənz /
noun, plural hens-and-chickens.
any of several succulent plants that grow in clusters or colonies formed by runners or offshoots, as those of the genera Echeveria and Sempervivum.
Compare
houseleek.
Origin of hen-and-chickens
First recorded in 1785–95
Words nearby hen-and-chickens
hen night,
hen of the woods,
hen party,
hen run,
hen tracks,
hen-and-chickens,
henan,
henbane,
henbit,
hence,
henceforth
Example sentences from the Web for hen-and-chickens
Each schooner has several dories, which fish all round it, thus suggesting what is often called the hen-and-chickens style.
All Afloat |William WoodOwing to their habit of producing a circle of young plants around the parent, they are commonly called "hen-and-chickens."
The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits |Mary Elizabeth Parsons
British Dictionary definitions for hen-and-chickens
hen-and-chickens
noun plural hens-and-chickens
(functioning as singular or plural)
any of several plants, such as the houseleek and ground ivy, that produce many offsets or runners