Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Meditative; contemplative.
  • adjective Oppressive.
  • adjective Disposed to sit on eggs to hatch them.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of a brooding disposition; inclined to brood or sit, as a hen.
  • Breeding or adapted for breeding: as, a broody bitch.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Inclined to brood.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A female bird which is in the condition to incubate eggs; a broody hen, duck, etc.
  • adjective sitting persistently and protectively on a nest, in order to hatch eggs (eg, 'a broody hen').
  • adjective acting interested in raising young.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective deeply or seriously thoughtful
  • adjective physiologically ready to incubate eggs
  • noun a domestic hen ready to brood

Etymologies

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