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• raven
  raven

  noun

  any of several large, corvine birds having lustrous, black plumage and a loud, harsh call, especially the common raven, Corvus corax, of both the New World and the Old World.
• Raven
  Raven

  noun

  a traditional trickster hero among the native peoples of the Canadian Pacific Northwest

raven

¹ American  

[rey-vuhn] / ˈreɪ vən /

noun

1. any of several large, corvine birds having lustrous, black plumage and a loud, harsh call, especially the common raven, Corvus corax, of both the New World and the Old World.

2. Raven, the divine culture hero and trickster of the North Pacific Coast Indians.

3. Astronomy. Raven, the constellation Corvus.

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adjective

1. lustrous black.

   raven locks of hair.

raven ² American  

[rav-uhn] / ˈræv ən /

Also ravin

verb (used without object)

1. to seek plunder or prey.

2. to eat or feed voraciously or greedily.

   to raven like an animal.

3. to have a ravenous appetite.

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verb (used with object)

1. to seize as spoil or prey.

2. to devour voraciously.

noun

1. rapine; robbery.

2. plunder or prey.

raven ¹ British  

/ ˈreɪvən /

noun

1. a large passerine bird, Corvus corax , having a large straight bill, long wedge-shaped tail, and black plumage: family Corvidae (crows). It has a hoarse croaking cry

2. 1. a shiny black colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      raven hair

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raven ² British  

/ ˈrævən /

verb

1. to seize or seek (plunder, prey, etc)

2. to eat (something) voraciously or greedily; be ravenous in eating

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Raven ³ British  

/ ˈreɪvən /

noun

1. a traditional trickster hero among the native peoples of the Canadian Pacific Northwest

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Other Word Forms

• ravener
  noun
• ravenlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of raven¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English hrǣfn, hrefn; cognate with German Rabe, Old Norse hrafn

Origin of raven²

First recorded in 1485–95; earlier ravine, from Middle French raviner, ultimately from Latin rapīna “plunder, rapine”; see rapine

Explanation

A raven is a large, black bird that's a scavenger — meaning that it likes to feed on dead animals. If someone tells you that you have "raven tresses," they are commenting on your hair color, not your eating habits. If you see a large group of ravens, you can call them an unkindness of ravens, or a conspiracy of ravens. Raven is also an adjective for anything that's the glossy black color of a raven's feathers: "His raven hair was held out of his eyes with a sweatband." Probably the most famous literary raven is the one in Edgar Allen Poe's spooky poem "The Raven," especially in the repeated line, "Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore!'"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

raven Raven

The raven and a “silent partner” then snatched the helpless goslings and devoured them—a machination to make Poe proud.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Over the course of two-and-a-half years, researchers found only one clear example of a raven following a wolf for more than one kilometer or more than an hour.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 19, 2026

Greater controls on raven populations have previously been introduced in Skye and Argyll.

From BBC ● May 27, 2025

The little deer struggles to find food as winter approaches, and her raven friend refuses to share its bounty.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2024

A great black bird, a raven of Osskil, came walking over the stone terrace and the grass.

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Pedestrian Raven Adams, 24, from Tipperary, was hit by a vehicle in York Street at about 02:40 BST on Thursday.

From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026

Phillip Brett, an assembly member for North Belfast, said he was "deeply saddened" to hear that Raven Adams had "tragically lost her life".

From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026

I love the explosiveness of Kelsey Mitchell, the power of Aliyah Boston, and the fresh new force that is Raven Johnson.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

Raven Johnson, South Carolina: Johnson has won two national titles with the Gamecocks and is a leader for Dawn Staley’s squad.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 16, 2026

"And the trails you cannot find in the snow. Holes in the ice and swamps. Moose are the worst. But today you need not worry about them. I will speak to my friend, the Raven."

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Related Words

• bully
• devour
• exploit
• feed on
• fleece
• haunt
• intimidate
• oppress
• plunder
• take advantage of
• victimize