robin

Short for robin redbreast. Also from Middle English robynet, robynett (“robin (bird)”), from the Middle English name Robynett, a diminutive of the Middle English name Robyn (“Robin”).

A European robin, Erithacus rubecula

An American robin, Turdus migratorius

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɒ.bɪn/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɑː.bɪn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒbɪn
• Hyphenation: rob‧in

robin (plural robins)

1. Any of various passerine birds (about 100 species) of the families Muscicapidae, Turdidae and Petroicidae (formerly Eopsaltriidae), typically with a red breast.
   1. A European robin, Erithacus rubecula.
      • 1922, Michael Arlen, “Ep./4/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:

        As they turned into Hertford Street they startled a robin from the poet's head on a barren fountain, and he fled away with a cameo note.

   2. An American robin, Turdus migratorius.
2. (historical) A trimming in front of a dress.

The American robin is larger and quite different from the European one: English settlers in America named it from its red breast.

• (all senses): redbreast, robin redbreast
• (the European robin): ruddock

• European robin on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Erithacus rubecula on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
• Erithacus rubecula on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• American robin on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Turdus migratorius on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
• Turdus migratorius on Wikispecies.Wikispecies

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

robin (uncountable)

1. (organic chemistry) A toxalbumin obtained from the locust tree.

• antirobin

• robinin

• round-robin

• Biron, Brion, inorb

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈrɔ.βin]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Valencian) [ˈrɔ.bin]

robin

1. inflection of robar:
   1. third-person plural present subjunctive
   2. third-person plural imperative

• IPA^(key): /ʁɔ.bɛ̃/

Familiar form of Robert.

robin m (plural robins)

1. (obsolete) sheep, calf

• robinet

Derivative of robe, in the phrase homme de robe (“man of the gown”). robe +‎ -in.

robin m (plural robins)

1. (archaic, derogatory) lawyer

• “robin”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.