Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

chicken-little

noun

ˈʧɪkən ˈlɪtəl

Definition

A person who constantly fears that disaster is imminent, often causing unnecessary panic or alarm.

Examples

Whenever there’s a slight problem at work, he acts like a chicken little and creates chaos.
Despite her friends’ reassurances, she still played the chicken-little over the changes in regulations.

Meaning

The term comes from the fable of Chicken Little, who believed the sky was falling after an acorn fell on its head. It represents someone who is overly anxious about possible dangers.