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. Compare house wren, marsh wren, rock wren, winter wren.
2.
any of various similar, unrelated birds, especially any of several Old World warblers.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English wrenn(e), Old English wrenna, obscurely akin to Old High German wrendilo, Old Norse rindill
before 900; Middle English wrenn(e), Old English wrenna, obscurely akin to Old High German wrendilo, Old Norse rindill
Dictionary.com Unabridged
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Wren
is always a great word to know.
So is gobo. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To wren
Collins
World English Dictionary
wren (rɛn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 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 |
| [Old English wrenna, werna; related to Old High German wrendo, rentilo, Old Norse rindill] | |
| Wren1 (rɛn) | |
| —n | |
| informal history (in Britain and certain other nations) a member of the former Women's Royal Naval Service | |
| [C20: from the abbreviation WRNS] | |
| Wren2 (rɛn) | |
| —n | |
| 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 | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
wren
O.E. wrenna, metathesis variation of earlier werna, a W.Gmc. word of uncertain origin. Cf. Icel. rindill, O.H.G. wrendo, wrendilo "wren." The bird's name in other languages usually denotes "royalty" (cf. L. regulus), in reference to its golden crest.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences from the web
Wren also studied and improved the microscope and telescope at this time.
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