noun

raven

RAYVN

noun

A large, glossy black bird in the crow family, known for its deep call and intelligence.

"A raven perched on the fence post, watching them work."

adjective

Deep glossy black, like a raven's feathers — usually describing hair.

"She had long, raven hair that shone in the sunlight."

How to Use Raven

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA large black crow-like bird, or (as an adjective) a deep glossy black color, usually for hair.

Easily confused with

ravenous →

Common pairings

raven hair raven black a raven's call

Word Forms

ravened past tense, ravens plural, raven plural, ravened plural, ravens singular, raven singular, ravened singular, ravenest singular, ravenedst singular, raveneth singular

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A _____ perched on the fence post, watching them work.

Etymology

From Old English hræfn, going back to a Proto-Germanic word for the bird, likely imitating its harsh call.

Rhymes for raven

haven heaven shaven craven

See all rhymes for raven →