warren

Meaning

1. A system of burrows in which rabbits live.
2. (figuratively) A mazelike place of passages and/or rooms in which it's easy to lose oneself; especially one that may be overcrowded.
3. (archaic) The class of small game such as hare, pheasants, stoats, etc., as opposed to beasts of chase such as deer, bear, and foxes.
4. A place legally authorized for the keeping, breeding and hunting of beasts of warren, especially rabbits.
5. (historical) The right to maintain and hunt an area of small beasts, similar to a free warren, but with certain limitations, such as restricting the right to hunt on parts of the land held by freeholders.

Synonyms

rabbit warren

hole

🕳️

burrow

drey

earth

holt

labyrinth

lair

maze

sett

tunnel

covert

den

Translations

κονικλοτροφείο

conejar

garenne

conejera

Kaninchengehege

ağıl

madriguera

conigliera

warnet

clapier

konijnehok

lapinière

labirinto

λαβύρινθος

dédale

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈwɒɹən/

Etymology

Cognate with Old French: guarenne

Cognate with Old French: warir

In summary

From Middle English warenne, from Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French warenne (compare Old French guarenne, garenne (“game-park”)), probably ultimately from Frankish *warjan, from Proto-Germanic *warjaną (“ward off, defend against”); compare also Old French warir, guarir, a borrowing from this Germanic root. Alternatively from Gaulish *warrennā (“enclosed area”), from *warros (“stick, post”), Proto-Celtic *warrā (“post, prop”).