wren

¹ American  

[ren] / rɛn /

noun

1. 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.

2. any of various similar, unrelated birds, especially any of several Old World warblers.

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Wren ² American  

[ren] / rɛn /

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

1. a member of the Wrens.

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Wren ³ American  

[ren] / rɛn /

noun

1. Sir Christopher, 1632–1723, English architect.

2. Percival Christopher, 1885–1941, English novelist.

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wren ¹ British  

/ rɛn /

noun

1. 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

2. any of various similar birds of the families Muscicapidae (Australian warblers), Xenicidae (New Zealand wrens), etc

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Wren ² British  

/ rɛn /

noun

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

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Wren ³ British  

/ rɛn /

noun

1. 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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Etymology

Origin of wren¹

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

Origin of Wren²

First recorded in 1915–20

Explanation

That tiny brown bird you see flitting past your window may be a wren, especially if it's got a tiny, upright tail. Wrens are busy little brown birds, mostly found in North and South America. Often wrens are tiny and inconspicuous, with small wings and stubby little tails, although their songs can be quite noisy and complex. The origin of the word wren isn't known beyond the fact that it was wrenna in Old English, from a Germanic root.

Example Sentences

The author’s first drop-in—he prefers the term “co-presence”—is a wren, who is given the run of the place and his own chapter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

By the age of 20 she had been promoted to "leading wren" and soon became involved in plotting maps for ships involved in the war effort.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2024

As the environment warms, southern species such as the grass wren and the northern cardinal spread further north in search of a suitable climate.

From Science Daily • Oct. 4, 2023

A bee, butterfly, ladybird, wren and robin all appear on the invite's border to symbolize the beginning of spring and Charles's dedication to sustainability.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2023

In the underbrush close to the trail, I saw a little wren.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls