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DictionaryravenBlack bird
noun / adjective

raven

RAY-vun/ˈreɪvn/

A large glossy black bird in the crow family.

A raven perches on a bare branch, its black feathers gleaming.

A single common raven perched on a bare branch, with its heavy curved bill, shaggy throat feathers, glossy black plumage and long wedge-shaped tail clearly visible.
Etymology
ravenOld Englishraven

Old English hræfn already named the bird. Its deeper ancestry is traced to imitation of harsh sounds, connecting the name with the raven’s raucous call.

In context

Sleep History19:08
The raven was among the birds most often surrounded by mystery. Large, intelligent, and almost entirely black.
The TERRIFYING History of MEDIEVAL Bad Omens | Sleep History

More examples

  • Two ravens circle above the rocky hillside.
  • The raven gives a deep, croaking call.
  • Her raven hair shines in the sunlight.

Forms

raven · ravens

Similar words

crow
Usually smaller, with a lighter bill and fan-shaped tail.
rook
A related black bird with bare skin around its bill.