pigeon

¹ American  

[pij-uhn] / ˈpɪdʒ ən /

noun

1. any bird of the family Columbidae, having a compact body and short legs, especially the larger species with square or rounded tails.

2. a domesticated member of this family, as one of the varieties of the rock dove.

3. Slang.

   1. a young, usually attractive, girl.

   2. a person who is easily fooled or cheated; dupe.

4. Poker Slang. a card, acquired in the draw, that greatly improves a hand or makes it a winner.

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pigeon ² American  

[pij-uhn] / ˈpɪdʒ ən /

noun

1. (not in technical use) pidgin; pidgin English.

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pigeon ¹ British  

/ ˈpɪdʒɪn /

noun

1. any of numerous birds of the family Columbidae, having a heavy body, small head, short legs, and long pointed wings: order Columbiformes See rock dove

2. slang a victim or dupe

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pigeon ² British  

/ ˈpɪdʒɪn /

noun

1. informal concern or responsibility (often in the phrase it's his, her, etc, pigeon )

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pigeon Idioms  

1. see clay pigeon; stool pigeon.

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Etymology

Origin of pigeon

1350–1400; Middle English pejon young dove < Middle French pijon < Late Latin pīpiōn- (stem of pīpiō ) squab, akin to pīpīre, pīpāre to chirp

Example Sentences

Ceilings leak in the mezzanine of Westlake Station, where cooing pigeons can be heard in the rafters above an intermittent puddle.

From Seattle Times

So far, scientists have sequenced the genomes of about 20 extinct species, including a cave bear, passenger pigeon, and several types of mammoths and moas.

From Science Magazine

“Olive onion pigeon”: Those three trochees, with the repetition of O’s and N’s and the slant rhyme of “onion” and “pigeon,” suggest that I was attuned to the music of language.

From New York Times

Jake Davison, 22, who was licensed to own a gun for clay pigeon shooting, shot and killed five people before turning the gun on himself on 12 August.

From BBC

Jake Davison, 22, who was licensed to own a gun for clay pigeon shooting, shot and killed five people before killing himself on 12 August.

From BBC

Related Words

• deceive
• discriminate against
• dupe
• exploit
• persecute
• pick on
• prey on
• sting