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• dove
  dove

  noun

  any bird of the family Columbidae, especially the smaller species with pointed tails.
• Dove
  Dove

  noun

  Arthur, 1880–1946, U.S. painter.

dove

¹ American  

[duhv] / dʌv /

noun

• doves
  plural

1. 

   any bird of the family Columbidae, especially the smaller species with pointed tails.

2. a pure white member of this species, used as a symbol of innocence, gentleness, tenderness, and peace.

3. Dove, a symbol for the Holy Ghost.

4. an innocent, gentle, or tender person.

5. Also called peace dove. a person, especially one in public office, who advocates peace, compromise, or a conciliatory national attitude.

6. dove color.

7. Economics. an official or advisor who advocates low interest rates or other monetary policies aimed at reducing unemployment and promoting economic growth.

8. Astronomy. Dove, the constellation Columba.

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dove ² American  

[dohv] / doʊv /

verb

1. a simple past tense of dive.

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Dove ³ American  

[duhv] / dʌv /

noun

1. Arthur, 1880–1946, U.S. painter.

2. Rita, born 1952, U.S. poet and educator: U.S. poet laureate 1993.

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dove ¹ British  

/ dʌv /

noun

1. any of various birds of the family Columbidae, having a heavy body, small head, short legs, and long pointed wings: order Columbiformes. They are typically smaller than pigeons

2. politics a person opposed to war Compare hawk 1

3. a gentle or innocent person: used as a term of endearment

4. 1. a greyish-brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      dove walls

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Dove ² British  

/ dʌv /

noun

1. Christianity a manifestation of the Holy Spirit (John 1:32)

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dove ³ British  

/ dəʊv /

verb

1. a past tense of dive

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dovelike
  adjective
• dovish
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• doves
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of dove

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; Old English dūfe- (in dūfedoppa “dip-diver”); cognate with Dutch duif, German Taube, Old Norse dūfa, Gothic dūbo, originally, “a diver”

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Explanation

A plump white or gray bird that makes a cooing sound is a dove. In both religious and secular contexts, doves are often used to symbolize peace. Doves and pigeons are closely related, and the two names are often used interchangeably. These round, short-necked birds live almost everywhere on the earth, with the exception of Antarctica, the highest elevations of the Arctic, and the Sahara Desert. In politics, a person whose priority is advocating for peaceful solutions is often referred to as a dove.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dove Dove doves

It dove out of the bottom of the strikezone, and Baldwin swung through it, ending the inning on a strikeout.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

To open the fifth, he induced Salas to hit the ball on the ground, but it got away from second baseman Tommy Edman as he dove up the middle, for a single.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

I heard a lot of stories like this as I dove into the world of medbeds.

From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026

The dove, famous for its place in the Twelve Days of Christmas song, is the country's fastest declining bird species according to the RSPB.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

I waited until none of the robots were looking, and then I dove into the waves.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

She’s been paired in shows with artists including Arthur Dove, Henry Moore and Ansel Adams, and examined as an avatar of a stylish personal aesthetic and independent lifestyle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Dove Cameron and Damiano David have tied the knot!

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

Hospices do get some statutory funding, but for Dove House Hospice, in Hull, that makes up only 13% of its £12m annual running costs.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Underlying sales for the Dove soap maker rose 5.8% on year in the quarter, compared with 3.1% in the same period last year, excluding ice-cream.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

The instant Johnny went to work, Dove as usual lay back on the hay.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

The authority said the plan was part of "urgent efforts" to restore the species, with a further 100 doves being prepared for another release next year.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

It is topped with symbols of the Holy Trinity and laden with doves representing mankind.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

The bird may also have depended more heavily on smell than modern pigeons and doves.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

The changing picture is nevertheless likely to make for tense discussions among the ECB's "hawks", who favour rate hikes, and the "doves", who advocate looser policy.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

I liked to think that he dreamed of ducks and doves, waiting for hunting season, when he would spring into action and work hard for a couple of weeks like, well, a dog.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

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