raven
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raven¹
- /ˈɹeɪvn̩/ UK
- /ˈɹeɪvən/ US
Rhymes with -eɪvən
Where it comes from
From Middle English raven, reven (“raven (Corvus corax); carrion crow (Corvus corone); rook (Corvus frugilegus) (?); the constellation Corvus; gall nuts of the Aleppo oak (Quercus infectoria) used to make black ink”), from Old English hræfn (“raven”), from Proto-West Germanic *hrabn (“raven”), from Proto-Germanic *hrabnaz (“raven”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *ḱrep- (“to crackle; to rattle”) or *ḱer- (“to croak, crow”), probably ultimately onomatopoeic, referring to the bird’s call.
noun ravens
- Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax). Some ſay that Rauens foſter forlorne children, / The vvhilſt their ovvne birds famiſh in their neſts: / Oh be to me though thy hard hart ſay no, / Nothing ſo kinde but ſomething pittifull.
- A jet-black, often glossy, colour, like that of the plumage of a raven (etymology 1, noun sense 1). Near-synonyms: ebony, onyx
- Usually preceded by a descriptive word: a bird from a genus other than Corvus that resembles the raven (etymology 1, noun sense 1), especially in having black plumage; also, an imaginary black bird. The horned Indian Raven or Topau, called the Rhinoceros Bird [section heading]. This horned Bird as it caſts a ſtrong ſmell, ſo it hath a foul look, much exceeding the European Raven in bigneſs.
- A flag bearing a raven (etymology 1, noun sense 1), formerly used by some Viking leaders
- preceded by the: Viking military power. Behold the vvarrior bright vvith Daniſh ſpoils!— / The raven droops his vvings—and hark! the trumpet, / Exulting, ſpeaks the reſt.
- A person, especially a man, with black hair.
- A person who brings bad news or makes pessimistic predictions. Ric[hard]. Novv y'ave ſpoke it halfe; 'tis ſinking I muſt treate of; / Your ſhips are all ſunke. / […] / M[istress] Foſt[er]. O thou fatall Raven; Let me pull thine eyes out for this / Sad croake.
raven²
- /ˈɹæv(ɪ)n/ UK
- /ˈɹæv(ə)n/ US
Rhymes with -ævɪn, -ævən
Where it comes from
A variant of ravin, from Middle English ravin, ravine, raven (noun).
noun
- Alternative spelling of ravin The. iiii. rule. […] If thou withdrawe thine handes, and forbere, / The rauens of anyething: remember than, / How his [Jesus's] innocent handes nailed were.
adjective more raven · most raven
- Alternative spelling of ravin
verb ravens · ravening · ravened · raven
- Sometimes followed by away or from: to obtain or seize (something, especially property) by force or violence; to plunder. [They] aſſaulted by night a certen aũciẽt [auncient] gentleman at home in his owne houſe, which had done thē [them] no diſpleaſure, and being a ſlepe in his bed at their cõming [comming], whan he had hardly eſcaped awaye half naked, rauening and diſtroying his goodes, they ſpoyled his wyfe and chyld
- Sometimes followed by down, up, or (obsolete) in: to eat (something, such as food or prey) greedily; to devour, to wolf down. Her princes in the middes thereof are like vvolues, rauening yͤ pray [prey] to ſhed blood, and to ſhed blood, and to deſtroye ſoules for their ovvne couetous lucre.
- To absorb or take in (something, such as information) greedily; also, to approach or pounce on (someone) like prey. [S]he fenced them in their need / With iron-handed Duty's sternest creed, / 'Gainst Self's lean wolf that ravens word and deed.
- Followed by about, after, or for: to go after or seek for something, especially booty or spoils; to maraud, to plunder; also (generally), to move about wildly and cause damage; to rampage. [T]he ſouldiours not yet ſatisfied with ſpoiling and ſacking the reſt that they found in the ſaid Tailleret, raging about the confines thereof, rauened and made hauocke on euery ſide, of whatſoeuer they could lay hands on, taking priſoners both men and women, which were loden with carriage.
- To eat greedily; also, followed by on or upon: of an animal: to prey on. The couaitous deſyre of riche men is euer vnſaciable. It always raueneth and neuer is ſatisfied.
- Sometimes followed by about or on: to move about searching for food or prey ravenously. [T]he Arms and Hands of the Bear, […] are his ſtrength and inſtrument of action to raven and prey vvith; […]
- Sometimes followed by after or for: to have a ravenous appetite or craving for food or prey. [B]ecause hogs are commonly rauening for their meat, more then other cattel, it is meet therefore to haue them ringed, or elſe they will doe much hurt in digging and turning vp corne fieldes, […]
- Originally followed by with: to experience great hunger; to be ravenous. For hovv […] ſhall I knovv thee to be a man, vvhen thou kickeſt like an aſſe, neygheſt like an Horſe after vvomen, raueſt in luſt like a Bull, raueneſt like a Beare, ſtingeſt like a Scorpion, rakeſt like a VVolfe, as ſuttle as a Foxe, as impudent as a Dogge; ſhall I ſay thou art man that haſt all th
- To take and exploit or make use of greedily.
- Sometimes followed by after or for: to have a strong craving or desire for, or to do, something; to crave, to desire, to yearn. Here's my brother thirsting, ravening to make your acquaintance—and by George! you are in luck's way, young hopeful, to make his.
Raven³
proper noun Rayven · Reighven
- A surname. William King, Daniel Giles, and Samuel Raven, the other defendants in the bill named, who were described as the trustees nominated by the parties, of the fifth part.
- A female given name from English, usually for a girl with raven hair, used since the 1970s. I want you to do a background check on a woman named Raven Anderson. Waist-length black hair, violet eyes, tall, striking. Late twenties, I'd say.
- A male given name. Raven Allen — Originally from the Zone, he becomes a member of the Psi:Ko when he is kidnapped with his brothers by trackers.
- A community in Red Deer County, Alberta, Canada, possibly named after the Raven River.
- An unincorporated community in Prairie Township, Edgar County, Illinois.
- An unincorporated community in Knott County, Kentucky.
- An unincorporated community in Brown County, Nebraska.
- A census-designated place in Russell County and Tazewell County, Virginia.
- A village in Kardzhali province, Bulgaria.
- A village in Gostivar municipality, North Macedonia.
-
Synonym of Corvus (“a constellation of the southern sky south of the constellation Virgo, said to resemble a crow”).
Similar: Corvus
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: pig, gulp, devour, guttle, prey, corvus corax, eagle, blackbird, crow, hart, ebony, crown, level, lippincott, corbie, corvus
Translations
Every language
noun any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage
| Español | cuervo, corneja |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 큰까마귀 keunkkamagwi |
| 日本語 | 渡り鴉 watarigarasu, 大鴉 ōgarasu |
| 中文 | 渡鴉 /渡鸦 dùyā, 烏鴉 /乌鸦 wūyā |
| हिन्दी | काला कौआ kālā kauā |
| Kiswahili | kunguru |
| Português | corvo |
| Français | grand corbeau, corbeau |
| Deutsch | Rabe, Kolkrabe |
| Italiano | corvo imperiale |
| Ελληνικά | κόρακας kórakas, κοράκι koráki |
| Română | corb |
| Русский | во́рон vóron |
| Tiếng Việt | quạ |
| العربية | غُرَاب ḡurāb |
| עברית | עורב 'orév, עורב שחור 'orév shakhór |
adj of the jet-black and often glossy colour of the plumage of a raven — see also jet-black
| Français | noir corbeau |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | rabenschwarz |
| Italiano | corvino |
| Ελληνικά | κορακίσιος korakísios, κορακί korakí |
| Română | corbiu |
Talk about this word "raven." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/raven. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. raven. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/raven "raven." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/raven.
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@misc{raven_2026,
title = {raven},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/raven},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
