wren
[ren]
- any of numerous small, active songbirds of the family Troglodytidae, especially Troglodytes troglodytes, of the Northern Hemisphere, having dark-brown plumage barred with black and a short, upright tail.Compare house wren, marsh wren, rock wren, winter wren.
- any of various similar, unrelated birds, especially any of several Old World warblers.
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Origin of wren
before 900; Middle English wrenn(e), Old English wrenna, obscurely akin to Old High German wrendilo, Old Norse rindill
Wren1
[ren]
- a member of the Wrens.
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Origin of Wren1
First recorded in 1915–20
Wren2
[ren]
- Sir Christopher,1632–1723, English architect.
- Percival Christopher,1885–1941, English novelist.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for wren
Contemporary Examples
As an example, on the street yesterday I found a Winter Wren.
Their son, Wren, was born on March 9, 2010, shortly after noon.
With every breath, Wren made a cooing noise, but Jones looked online and saw that lots of newborns make funny sounds.
Historical Examples
The wren, after satisfying its animosity, returned to the beam.
The History of LouisianaLe Page Du Pratz
"I like to think of the children at Wren's End," Fay said dreamily.
Jan and Her JobL. Allen Harker
No one could see anything odd in his calling at Wren's End to see William.
Jan and Her JobL. Allen Harker
It was their first day at Wren's End, and the weather was kind.
Jan and Her JobL. Allen Harker
Vaguely she stared round the room, the most charming room in Wren's End.
Jan and Her JobL. Allen Harker
wren
- any small brown passerine songbird of the chiefly American family Troglodytidae, esp Troglodytes troglodytes (wren in Britain, winter wren in the US and Canada). They have a slender bill and feed on insects
- any of various similar birds of the families Muscicapidae (Australian warblers), Xenicidae (New Zealand wrens), etc
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Word Origin
Old English wrenna, werna; related to Old High German wrendo, rentilo, Old Norse rindill
Wren1
- history informal (in Britain and certain other nations) a member of the former Women's Royal Naval Service
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Word Origin
C20: from the abbreviation WRNS
Wren2
- Sir Christopher. 1632–1723, English architect. He designed St Paul's Cathedral and over 50 other London churches after the Great Fire as well as many secular buildings
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for wren
n.
Old English wrenna, metathesis variation of earlier werna, a West Germanic word of uncertain origin. Cf. Icelandic rindill, Old High German wrendo, wrendilo "wren." The bird's name in other languages usually denotes "royalty" (cf. Latin regulus), in reference to its golden crest.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper