robin
English meaning: Robin
Definition
Any of various passerine birds (about 100 species) of the families Muscicapidae, Turdidae and Petroicidae (formerly Eopsaltriidae), typically with a red breast.
Example
“A robin perched on the spade as he dug the garden.”
Another example: “An American robin tugged a worm from the damp lawn.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Neutral; a small songbird with a red breast (the European robin) or the larger American robin. A familiar garden bird, strongly associated with Christmas in Britain. Also a common first name and the name of Batman's sidekick.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
A pet form of the name 'Robert' applied to the bird, shortening the older 'robin redbreast', from the 16th century.
Synonyms
- redbreast
- robin redbreast
- erithacus rubecola
- old world robin
- american robin
- turdus migratorius
Related Words
Common Collocations
- robin redbreast
- american robin
- garden robin
- a robin's nest
- friendly robin
Word Forms
robin (n); robins (pl)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
CC-licensed · free to useVideo
Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B