Definition

Noun 1. A common European plant (Chenopodium album) that has become naturalized in North America. It is often gathered from the wild and used as a leafy green vegetable (potherb). It is also known as lamb's quarters, white goosefoot, or pigweed.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The forager identified the patch of fat hen growing by the roadside.
  • In some regions, fat hen is cooked and eaten like spinach.
  • The seeds of fat hen can remain viable in the soil for many years.

Advanced Usage

• As a historical food source: The term is often used in historical or foraging contexts to describe a plant that was a common wild food source, especially in times of scarcity.
  • Archaeological evidence shows that fat hen was an important part of the prehistoric diet.

Variants and Related Words

• Lamb's quarters (n): A common North American name for the same plant ().
• White goosefoot (n): Another name referring to the plant's characteristic leaf shape and powdery white coating.
• Pigweed (n): A general name for several plants in the and families, sometimes used interchangeably with fat hen, though they can be different species.

Synonyms

• Chenopodium album (n): The scientific botanical name.
• Wild spinach (n): A descriptive name highlighting its culinary use.

Notes on Meaning

• Not a bird: It is critical to understand that "fat hen" in this context refers only to a plant. It is not related to or a description of a bird (hen). This is an example of a common name that can be misleading.
• Potherb: This term specifies its use as a leafy plant cooked and used as a vegetable or herb.

Noun

1. European plant naturalized in North America; often collected from the wild as a potherb