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wren

[ ren ]
/ rɛn /
|
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noun

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.

RELATED WORDS

lark, canary, pipit, serin, oscine, vireo

Nearby words

  1. wrecking,
  2. wrecking bar,
  3. wrecking car,
  4. wrecking crane,
  5. wrekin,
  6. wren, christopher,
  7. wren, sir christopher,
  8. wren-tit,
  9. wrench,
  10. wrens

Origin of wren

before 900; Middle English wrenn(e), Old English wrenna, obscurely akin to Old High German wrendilo, Old Norse rindill

Definition for wren (2 of 3)

Wren

1
[ ren ]
/ rɛn /

noun (sometimes lowercase) Chiefly British Informal.

a member of the Wrens.

Origin of Wren

1
First recorded in 1915–20

Definition for wren (3 of 3)

Wren

2
[ ren ]
/ rɛn /

noun

Sir Christopher,1632–1723, English architect.
Percival Christopher,1885–1941, English novelist.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for wren

British Dictionary definitions for wren (1 of 3)

wren

/ (rɛn) /

noun

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

Word Origin for wren

Old English wrenna, werna; related to Old High German wrendo, rentilo, Old Norse rindill

British Dictionary definitions for wren (2 of 3)

Wren

1
/ (rɛn) /

noun

history informal (in Britain and certain other nations) a member of the former Women's Royal Naval Service

Word Origin for Wren

C20: from the abbreviation WRNS

British Dictionary definitions for wren (3 of 3)

Wren

2
/ (rɛn) /

noun

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
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

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.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper