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• wren
  wren

  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.
• Wren
  Wren

  noun

  a member of the Wrens.

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 broadband provider is entering partnerships with Oak Hill Capital and Wren House for the deals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

“March has been obviously pretty nasty” for stocks, said Scott Wren, a senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, in a phone interview.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Previous banknotes have pictured other national figures including novelist Charles Dickens, physicist and chemist Michael Faraday, composer Edward Elgar, nurse Florence Nightingale and architect Christopher Wren.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

Waugh began building Little Wren in early 2022, spending two years constructing the yacht in his shed at home, before she was launched at Amble Marina in March 2024 for sea trials.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

Miss Wren screeched, and she fell back against the table, legs failing her.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs