robin

¹ American  

[rob-in] / ˈrɒb ɪn /

noun

1. any of several small Old World birds having a red or reddish breast, especially Erithacus rubecula, of Europe.

2. a large American thrush, Turdus migratorius, having a chestnut-red breast and abdomen.

3. any of several similar thrushes of the New World tropics, not necessarily having reddish underparts, as T. grayi clay-colored robin, of Mexico and Central America.

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Robin ² American  

[rob-in] / ˈrɒb ɪn /

noun

1. a male or female given name: derived from Robert.

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robin British  

/ ˈrɒbɪn /

noun

1. Also called: robin redbreast.  a small Old World songbird, Erithacus rubecula , related to the thrushes: family Muscicapidae . The male has a brown back, orange-red breast and face, and grey underparts

2. a North American thrush, Turdus migratorius , similar to but larger than the Old World robin

3. any of various similar birds having a reddish breast

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Etymology

Origin of robin

First recorded in 1540–50; short for robin redbreast

Explanation

The sweet-sounding, red-chested birds that symbolize the beginning of spring are robins. There are actually many different birds called robins, and while most share a reddish-orange breast, they're actually distantly related to each other. In the U.S., the bird we think of as a robin is officially the American robin, a kind of thrush. It's the most common land bird in North America, and it's famous for laying eggs very early in the spring — and singing at the crack of dawn. The robin's most deadly predator is the domesticated cat.

Example Sentences

The wheelchair curling team round robin comes to an end.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

Sweden believed one of the Canadians was repeatedly double-touching, giving the stone another little prod with his finger to correct its course during Friday's round robin match.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

Not even from dreaded rival Canada, which was missing injured star Marie-Philip Poulin, and fell to Team USA 5-0 in the opening round robin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Few things mark the winter season a much as frosty mornings, a sprinkling of snow and the robin, which comes into its own when the weather turns cold.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025

A flicker crossed the corner of his vision, and his right hand darted up at once, and he found he was clutching a robin, a dæmon, red-breasted, panicking.

From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman