Showing results for "dove"

• past tense form of dive.
• past participle of dive.

Jump To:

• 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.

---

dove ² American  

[dohv] / doʊv /

verb

1. a simple past tense of dive.

---

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.

---

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

---

Dove ² British  

/ dʌv /

noun

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

---

dove ³ British  

/ dəʊv /

verb

1. a past tense of dive

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dovelike
  adjective
• dovish
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• doves
  plural

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”

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

When he was a teenager, Walters remembers, he dove into some catfish holes so vast he couldn’t find the back.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

“Bowtie” Bob Kellermann was the convivial sales guy who got Lodge into Walmart and Williams-Sonoma, while Henry Lodge dove into finances and foundry operations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Ratner said the branch is a reference to the story in the Torah of Noah sending out a dove during the Great Flood and returning with an olive branch.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

A survey of the Blean will focus on six endangered species that are found there, including the the heath fritillary butterfly, one of the UK's rarest, and the turtle dove.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

Kojo dashed back across the chamber as fast as he could and dove behind the first pillar of stones.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

In social-media posts sponsored by Dove, people are layering its fragrant body washes, bar soaps and scrubs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Galway indie-folk musician Thomas O'Donogue only started releasing music under the name Dove Ellis last year, but his soaring vocals immediately sparked a record label bidding war.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Authorities said they hadn’t yet pinpointed a cause for the Dove fire, which burned in the hills southwest of Sonora — a town outside of Yosemite National Park in southern Tuolumne County.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

On a wet February day, high in the North York Moors National Park, we are looking for a small footbridge over the River Dove.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

Once a day, twice a day, and sometimes three times in one day, Dove would sneak over to the Observer’s office.

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

Researchers compared the reconstructed dodo brain cavities with those of living pigeons and doves, which are the dodo's closest living relatives.

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

While Catholic kids have usually been led to assume that the baby Jesus arrived on the wings of doves, Mary’s labor is nothing short of agonizing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

Handkerchiefs flew out like soiled white doves, worn shoes, ladies' combs, a cowbell—a junk heap.

From "The Whipping Boy" by Sid Fleischman

Related Words

• drab
• dusty
• silvery