# What Does the Derogatory Term 'Chicken' Mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 29, 2002, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447 "2002-07-29T23:09:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/1 "2002-07-29T23:09:10Z")
On the recently-ended Fox series _Married with Children_, the series downbeaten hero Al Bundy kept on referring to his unattractive neighbor and nemesis Marcy D’Arcy as a _“chicken”_. What does the word “chicken” mean when used as an insulting remark to a female? This isn’t a joke, I honestly don’t know. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/2 "2002-07-29T23:28:30Z")
Scaredy-Cat. Unreasonably afraid. Scared to do something easy. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/3 "2002-07-29T23:29:22Z")
A running joke on the show was Marcy’s lack of much of development in the chest region so I would assume it referred to that. However, Al also questioned the quality of Marcy’s legs on occasion. So, it might also refer to that. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/4 "2002-07-29T23:29:47Z")
The only use of the term I know means that you are cowardly. This is used for both genders and you probably already knew that and were looking for something else!! ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/5 "2002-07-30T00:35:37Z")
“Chicken” is a term used by pedophiles when referring to young boys. As in, “fresh meat”. (Pedos who go cruising for boys are aptly known as “chickenhawks”.) Since Marcy’s physique resembled that of a boy, or at least was “tomboyish”, maybe that was part of the joke? ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/6 "2002-07-30T00:46:40Z")
Recently ended?! What country do you live in that the show was “recently ended”? Been dead for years here… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/7 "2002-07-30T01:07:58Z")
“Chicken” can also be a compliment (not a very highbrow one, mind you), as in- “Ooh, look at that fiiine piece of chicken over there”- when referring to a woman. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/8 "2002-07-30T07:04:46Z")
Wouldn’t that make you a jive turkey? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/9 "2002-07-30T14:09:00Z")
To follow up on **TV time** ’s comment, “Chicken legs” is sometimes used as a disparaging reference to a woman’s skinny, unshapely nether limbs. ---
**Author:** ![grayhairedmomma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/47e85d/32.png) [@grayhairedmomma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grayhairedmomma)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/10 "2002-07-30T15:13:14Z")
**Cat Fight** , I’ve never heard the term “chicken” as a compliment in reference to a woman. Maybe you’re confusing “chicken” with “chick”. I’ve heard “chickenhead” as an insult to females though. It’s the female version of a “scrub” > [@](#): > > _Chickenhead by Project Pat_ > Got some gold teeth, at the club tryna shake that thang > Tryna get a piece, chicken chicken always into some dumb shit > Shoulda paid ya light bill, you bought a outfit > Stay at ya mammy house and keep a smart mouth > [@](#): > > _Scrubs by TLC_ > A scrub is a guy that thinks he’s fine and is > Also known as a buster > Always thinkin’ about what he wants > He just sits on his broke ass > \ > You live at home with your mama > Oh yes son, I’m talkin’ to you > You have a shorty but you don’t show love ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/11 "2002-07-30T17:15:09Z")
From reading the autobios of Groucho and Harpo Marx it seems that “Chicken” was a common term for girls and women, especially in the context of guys pursuing them. Maybe the guys thought of themselves as foxes, as in the chicken coop. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/12 "2002-07-31T03:58:50Z")
I have hopes that **Jim B.** will return and post a follow-up. Maybe some more info on how the term was used exactly. **javaman** My Lighter on slang offers that the term “chicken” in ref. to a young girl was **extremely** common in the 1905-1930 period, exactly the period that would have influenced the Marx Bros. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/13 "2002-07-31T05:10:04Z")
I think Al Bundy calls Marcy this just because he thinks of her as always “clucking,” or saying stuff he doesn’t want to hear. Pretty much the same meaning you’ll find in the hip-hop use of the word. ---
**Author:** ![SandWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@SandWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-derogatory-term-chicken-mean/121447/14 "2002-07-31T08:05:36Z")
UNBELIEVABLE! IANCA but COME ON! Al called Marcy chicken because 1. she is a scardy cat? ERRRRRRRRR 2. small breasts? ERRRRRRRRR 3. skinny legs? DING DING DING 4. a young boyish sex slave? ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ZZZIZZ POP, _Bring in a new buzzer boys!_ 5. an attractive women? ERRRRR 6. skinny legs? (again) DING DING DING 7. Chicken head? WHAT? (try to pick references that at least 50,000,000 Americans may know about) 8. an attractive women? (again) ERRRRRRR 9. a talker? Okay well maybe. Have you SEEN a chicken? The drumstick, often referred to as the leg, is not THE leg. The legs on a chicken, and most birds for that matter are very skinny and have very little muscle or meat on them. The correct answer is “Because she has skinny legs!” As for the rest of you, Thanks for playing! -Sandwriter _putting on his asbestos gloves_