wren

noun

ˈren 

1

: any of a family (Troglodytidae) of small typically brownish oscine singing birds

especially : a very small widely distributed bird (Troglodytes troglodytes) that has a short erect tail and is noted for its song

2

: any of various small singing birds resembling the true wrens in size and habits

Illustration of wren

• wren 1

Examples of wren in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mockingbirds, wrens and sparrows flit in and out of crape myrtle trees lining part of the property’s outside perimeter. —Suzanne Gamboa, NBC news, 9 Aug. 2025

The reserve is heavily wooded with more than 25 tree species that are the domain of warblers, crows, wrens, hawks, woodpeckers, sap suckers, owls, bald eagles, vultures and great herons. —John Tuohy, IndyStar, 2 July 2025

The dodo, Stephen’s island wren, Lord Howe pigeon and Rodrigues solitaire are a few such examples. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025

The traffic noise recedes into the background, succumbing to the bubbly song of a house wren and the burbling of the nearby creek. —Contributing, Oc Register, 4 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wrenne, from Old English wrenna; akin to Old High German rentilo wren

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wren

• cactus wren
• Carolina wren

Rhymes for wren

• ben
• bren
• chen
• den
• en
• gen
• glen
• hen
• jen
• ken
• men
• pen

Kids Definition

wren

noun

ˈren 

1

: any of a family of small mostly brown singing birds with short rounded wings and a short tail that points upward

2

: any of various small singing birds resembling the true wrens in size and habits

Biographical Definition

Wren

biographical name

ˈren 

Sir Christopher 1632–1723 English architect