carrier pigeon

American  

noun

1. one of a breed of domestic pigeons having a large wattle around the base of the beak.

2. a homing pigeon trained to carry messages.

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carrier pigeon British  

noun

1. any homing pigeon, esp one used for carrying messages

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Etymology

Origin of carrier pigeon

First recorded in 1640–50

Example Sentences

A sort of industrial carrier pigeon, popular long before email and Amazon, pneumatic tubes used to be common in office buildings, hospitals, department stores and such.

From Los Angeles Times

If he continues to bat like this, he is well within his rights to deliver his pre-match message via carrier pigeon.

From BBC

Adler spearheaded a number of moves to modernize Reuters, which gained fame in its early days for using carrier pigeons to relay scoops.

From Reuters

According to Robert Gildea, a professor of modern history at the University of Oxford, England, carrier pigeons were important in World War I “as a rapid and fairly secure means of communication.”

From New York Times

More than a century after it was dispatched by a German soldier, a message sent via carrier pigeon has been found by chance.

From BBC