robin

noun

rob·​in ˈrä-bən 

plural robins

1

: a large North American thrush (Turdus migratorius) with brownish-gray upperparts, blackish head and tail, black and whitish streaked throat, and dull reddish breast and underparts

called also American robin

2

a

: a small chiefly European Old World flycatcher (Erithacus rubecula) having a brownish-olive back and orangish face and breast

b

: any of various Old World songbirds that are related to or resemble the European robin

Examples of robin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s because the tag captured the bat pursuing, killing and eating a migrating European robin (Erithacus rubecula)—all in midair and while echolocating to navigate. —Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2025

Viburnum species offer berries in hues of red, blue and pink, attracting mockingbirds, robins and catbirds; while American Beautyberry () features bold purple berries loved by cardinals, catbirds and finches. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025

These shrikes are smaller than robins but have large, blocky heads, hence the name loggerhead. —Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 1 Oct. 2025

This is when fans can submit ticket applications for individual group-stage matches (the tournament’s opening round that features groups of teams facing off round robin–style before the teams with the best records advance into the single-elimination knockout-round bracket). —Meredith Heil Bock, AFAR Media, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

akin to Dutch dialect robijntje linnet, Frisian robyntsje

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing robin

• American robin
• ragged robin
• robin redbreast
• round-robin
• sea robin
• wake-robin

Rhymes for robin

• bobbin
• dobbin
• robbin

Kids Definition

robin

noun

rob·​in ˈräb-ən 

1

: a small European thrush with an orange red face, throat, and breast

2

: a large North American thrush with a grayish back and head and a brick red breast