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wren

noun
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\ ˈren How to pronounce wren (audio) \

Definition of wren

 (Entry 1 of 2)

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

Wren

biographical name
\ ˈren How to pronounce Wren (audio) \

Definition of Wren (Entry 2 of 2)

Sir Christopher 1632–1723 English architect

Illustration of wren

Illustration of wren

Noun

wren 1

In the meaning defined above

Examples of wren in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Sightings at Nauset Spit in Orleans included a Lapland longspur, 3 marsh wrens, 5 American pipits, 21 Savannah sparrows, a yellow-breasted chat, and 3 bobolinks. — BostonGlobe.com, "Recent bird sightings on Cape Cod (as of Sept. 24) as reported to the Massachusetts Audubon Society.," 1 Oct. 2019 Fall is the best time to hang a birdhouse designed for wrens (with an entrance exactly 1⅛-inch wide). — Boston.com Real Estate, "Ask the Gardener: How to get rid of grubs for good," 1 Oct. 2019 Today, our seven house wren chicks have left the comfort and safety of the tiny, 4 by 4-inch nest box. — Ernie Cowan, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Happily, but sadly too, the wrens fly from the nest," 26 May 2018 Canyon wrens provided a lilting serenade, and butterflies wobbled out from the banks to greet us. — Roger Naylor, azcentral, "Now you can kayak Arizona's famous Horseshoe Bend. Here's how.," 5 Sep. 2019 The students built and sold birdhouses for the house wren, and donated their profits to charities. — Laura Groch, San Diego Union-Tribune, "North County School News, July 18," 18 July 2019 The cavities that woodpeckers create and later abandon provide living space for other creatures — birds such as titmice, nuthatches and wrens, but also for flying squirrels, Mason said. — Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, "The percussive appeal of the woodpecker," 17 July 2019 Of those, the robins are the largest, while the juncos, wrens and finches are all about the same size. — Joan Morris, The Mercury News, "What’s up with El Cerrito’s chest-bumping birds?," 10 July 2019 Even more surprising is where the wrens decided to nest this time. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: Tiny birdhouse an unexpected home for wren family," 6 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wren.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of wren

Noun

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

History and Etymology for wren

Noun

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

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Time Traveler for wren

Time Traveler

The first known use of wren was before the 12th century

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Statistics for wren

Last Updated

7 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Wren.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wren. Accessed 12 December 2019.

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More Definitions for wren

wren

noun
How to pronounce Wren (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of wren

: a small bird with brown feathers and a short tail that points upward

See the full definition for wren in the English Language Learners Dictionary

wren

noun
\ ˈren How to pronounce wren (audio) \

Kids Definition of wren

: a small brown songbird with a short tail that points upward

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More from Merriam-Webster on wren

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with wren

Spanish Central: Translation of wren

Nglish: Translation of wren for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wren

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