Definition

1. Noun:
   • A female guinea fowl: A guinea hen is the female of the guinea fowl species, a bird native to Africa but domesticated in many parts of the world. It is often distinguished from the male by its slightly smaller size and sometimes by its call.
   • The flesh of a guinea fowl used as food: This meaning refers specifically to the meat of this bird, especially from the female, which is considered a game bird or poultry and is used in cooking.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Bird):
  • The guinea hen wandered the farmyard, pecking at insects.
  • We could tell it was a guinea hen by its distinctive call and speckled feathers.
• Noun (Meat):
  • The menu featured roasted guinea hen with a berry sauce.
  • Guinea hen is often described as having a flavor more robust than chicken.

Advanced Usage

• As a collective term: While "guinea hen" specifically denotes a female, the term is sometimes used more loosely in non-technical contexts to refer to the guinea fowl species in general.
  • A flock of guinea hen patrolled the field for pests.

Variants and Related Words

• Guinea fowl (n): The general name for the bird species to which the guinea hen belongs.
• Guinea cock (n): The male counterpart of the guinea hen.

Synonyms

• Female guinea fowl: The precise synonym for the first definition.
• Guinea fowl meat: A general synonym for the second definition, though it is not gender-specific.

Related Phrases

• Pearl guinea hen: A common variety of guinea fowl with white, pearl-like spots on dark feathers.
  • The pearl guinea hen is prized for both its pest control abilities and its meat.

Noun

1. female guinea fowl
2. flesh of a guinea fowl (especially of hens)