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Definition of grasswren
grasswren
/ˈɡræsˌrɛn/
grass · wren
Plural:grasswrens
grasswren Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
Australian Any of several small, ground-dwelling songbirds of the genus Amytornis (family Maluridae) native to the arid and semi-arid regions of Australia, characterized by their long tails, cryptic plumage, and habit of running rapidly through spinifex grass or scrub rather than flying.
Example
"The elusive Eyrean grasswren is rarely seen by birdwatchers due to its habit of darting quickly between clumps of cane grass in the deep desert."
Word Origin & Etymology
A compound of 'grass' and 'wren', coined in the 19th century to describe the bird's preferred habitat and its superficial physical resemblance to true wrens, though they belong to the distinct fairy-wren family.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Grasswren. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/grasswren