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Definition of preen

preen

/priːn/
preen
Past Simple:preened
•
Past Participle:preened
•
Present Participle:preening
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preen Lexical Profile

preen Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To straighten, clean, and smooth feathers with the beak (of a bird).

Example

"The swan paused on the riverbank to preen its snowy plumage after swimming."

2

To devote effort to making oneself look attractive and then admire one's appearance.

Example

"The actors spent twenty minutes preening in front of the dressing room mirror before stepping onto the stage."

3

To congratulate or pride oneself with smug self-satisfaction over an achievement.

Example

"He preened himself on having predicted the market shift months before his colleagues."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for preen
Antonyms
View all antonyms for preen

• Rhymes for preen

• Nearby Words

preemption
preemptive
preemptively
preen
preenrollment
preestablish
preexist

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English prenen ('to trim or dress feathers'), a late variant of prunen ('to prune'), blending Old French proignier ('to cut back vines') with a native dialectal verb meaning 'to pierce or pin'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Preen. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/preen
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