adjective

broody

BROO-dee

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Broody (adjective) means feeling a strong longing to have a baby. Example: “Holding the newborn made her come over all broody.”

adjective

informal, chiefly British Feeling a strong longing to have a baby.

"Holding the newborn made her come over all broody."

"He gets broody every time his sister brings the twins round."

Quiet, moody and lost in gloomy thought.

"He'd been broody all evening and wouldn't say why."

"There's a broody, unsettled quality to the whole album."

Of a hen, sitting on eggs to hatch them, or wanting to.

"One of the hens has gone broody and won't leave the nest box."

How to use broody

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither badly wanting a baby, or quietly moody.

When to use it

The baby sense is very common in British, Irish and Australian English and much rarer in American English, where 'broody' is more likely to be read as moody. Applied to people it is informal.

Memory tip

'Brooding' describes dark, intense thoughtfulness and is often used approvingly of a character. 'Broody' about a person in the UK far more often means wanting a child.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

brooding → moody → clucky

Common pairings

feel broody go broody broody hen broody mood make me broody

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “broody” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Holding the newborn made her come over all _____.

Etymology

From brood, in the sense of a hen sitting on her eggs, from Old English brōd.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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sullen moody pensive brooding morose musing pondering meditative ruminative reflective contemplative

Antonyms

cheerful chirpy upbeat

Related words

happy glad sad wondering reflection depressed smiling miserable

Rhymes for broody

body Cody Jody woody brody goody moody doody nobody melody bloody parody

See all rhymes for broody →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between broody and brooding?

Brooding means deeply and darkly thoughtful, and is often used of atmosphere or of a character in fiction. Broody most commonly means longing to have a baby, though it can also mean sullen. They are not safely interchangeable.

What does 'feeling broody' mean?

It means being overtaken by a strong, often sudden desire to have a child. People typically say it after spending time around babies. It is used of both men and women, though more often of women.

What is a broody hen?

It is a hen whose instincts have switched to hatching: she sits tight on the eggs, stops laying, and resists being moved. Keepers either let her hatch a clutch or take steps to break the broodiness.

What is the meaning of broody?

"broody" (adjective) means feeling a strong longing to have a baby.

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