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

Rhinoceros hornbills and Bornean wren-babblers tend to populate the forest canopy above. —Laura Kiniry, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026

A lot of those little suckers, like warblers and wrens, are small, or brown, or fast. —Jonathan Shikes, Denver Post, 26 Jan. 2026

Usually, the unassuming won’t show up onscreen; no one remembers enough to describe the ordinary wren nesting in the elm outside their window after the eagle swoops down for a snack. —Rita Dove, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025

As much as the wren coming to adopt the birdhouse as its own, this was another blurring of the boundaries. —Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 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