As a noun, a raven is a large, black bird related to crows, known for its intelligence and deep, croaking call. As a verb, “to raven” (rare) means to hunt or feed greedily, and as an adjective, “raven” can describe very black hair.
The bird name comes from Old English “hræfn,” from Proto-Germanic “*khrabanaz,” related to similar words in other Germanic languages. The verb meaning to devour comes from a different root linked to “ravenous.”
Ravens can solve puzzles, remember human faces, and even play tricks, which is why so many mythologies treat them as magical or prophetic. The bird “raven” and the hunger word “ravenous” sound alike but come from different roots, a neat example of how English lets unrelated words bump into each other.
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