A hen party (also referred to a hen do, hen weekend or bachelorette party by our American sisters) is a pre-wedding celebration where the bride and her closest friends go away for a long weekend to celebrate her upcoming marriage.

Why do Brits call it a hen do?

The meaning of the term “Hen Party” stems from the fact that the word 'hen' hasn't always meant female chicken, but rather way back in Middle English, a look at the etymology of the word 'hen' shows us that it used to be used to refer to the female of any bird, or sometimes the female gender of any species of animal.

Why is it called a hen night?

The meaning of the term “Hen Party” stems from the fact that the word 'hen' hasn't always meant female chicken, but rather way back in Middle English, a look at the etymology of the word 'hen' shows us that it used to be used to refer to the female of any bird, or sometimes the female gender of any species of animal.