# ren

/ˈɹɛn/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ren
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. a kidney

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a kidney — one of the two organs in your body that clean your blood.

For teachers: a kidney. The term is primarily used in technical, medical, or anatomical contexts.

- The doctor explained how the ren functions within the urinary system.
- In advanced anatomical studies, the term ren is used to describe the organ's structure before discussing its specific physiological functions.

### 2. Egyptian mythology

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the name of a person, which ancient Egyptians believed was a part of their soul.

For teachers: the name as a constituent part of the soul in ancient Egyptian mythology, believed to exist as long as the name was spoken.

- Ancient Egyptians believed that keeping your ren alive was necessary for the afterlife.
- The preservation of the ren through inscriptions on monuments was a vital practice for ensuring a soul's immortality in Egyptian theology.

### 3. Renaissance fair

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

a short way to say 'Renaissance', usually when talking about a Renaissance fair.

For teachers: a clipping of Renaissance, used almost exclusively within the subculture of Renaissance fairs and historical reenactment.

- Are you going to the ren faire this weekend to see the jousting?
- Among dedicated reenactors, the local ren is the highlight of the summer social calendar.

## Examples

- The doctor checked the health of the patient's ren.
- In older medical texts, the term ren was frequently used before 'kidney' became the standard English word.
- While modern practitioners refer to the kidney, the Latin root survives in the adjective 'renal', which describes anything pertaining to the function or pathology of the ren.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.