Ravens

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large, intelligent black avian associated with mystery and folklore
2. A big, black feathered bird known for its cleverness and often linked to myths
3. A sizeable dark bird distinguished by its intelligence and frequent connections to legends

Etymology: The plural "ravens" is simply the plural of "raven", so the history belongs to the singular. Old English "hræfn" was the name of the bird, and it descends from a Proto-Germanic "*hrabnaz". Scholars generally trace that root to an Indo-European base meaning "to croak" or "to crackle", which suggests the name was originally an imitation of the bird's harsh call. The same word has also been used for the Corvus constellation and for the gall nuts of the Aleppo oak, which were prized for making black ink. That ink connection is one reason the bird's colour and the word's sense of blackness have long been linked in English. A separate English word, "ravin" (also spelled "ravine" in Middle English), is a variant of "raven" in its noun sense, which is a useful reminder that the spelling and sound of "raven" were not fixed for long.

Synonyms: crows, birds, corvids, blackbirds, scavengers