Cochin
/ˈkoʊ.tʃɪn/noun
A large, heavily feathered domestic chicken breed originally associated with China and named after Cochin, a former European name for Kochi in India.
Did you know?The Cochin breed became a sensation in Victorian Britain after birds were presented to Queen Victoria in the 1840s, helping trigger the era’s famous “hen fever.”
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Period
Malayalam
Kochi
“The historic place-name of the port city now generally called Kochi in Kerala, India; its ultimate origin is uncertain.”
16th Century
Portuguese
Cochim
“A Portuguese form of the name for the Indian port of Kochi.”
17th–18th Century
European usage
Cochin
“An English and French form of the place-name Kochi.”
19th Century
English
Cochin China
“A European geographical name for southern Vietnam, distinct from the Indian city but formed through European naming traditions.”
1840s
English
Cochin
“The name applied in Britain to a large, feather-legged chicken breed introduced from China.”
Modern English
English
Cochin
“A recognized breed of large domestic fowl, valued especially for its abundant plumage and calm temperament.”
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