mourning dove

American  

noun

1. a dove, Zenaidura macroura, of North America, noted for its plaintive cooing.

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mourning dove British  

noun

1. a brown North American dove, Zenaidura macroura, with a plaintive song

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Etymology

Origin of mourning dove

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Compare meaning

How does mourning-dove compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• turtledove vs. mourning dove

Example Sentences

One of the birds was a mourning dove and the other a European starling.

From Los Angeles Times

And then, flash forward 30 or so years later, I’m like, “Oh wow, listen to those mourning doves!”

From Salon

Downtown's Pershing Square supports mourning doves, Vaux's swifts, gopher snakes and exotic streaktails, a type of fly that feeds on aphids.

From Science Daily

“We see ducks down here. They see frogs and turtles, different birds like red wing blackbirds and mourning doves,” Tursi said.

From Seattle Times

Before Merlin, I’d always assumed the distinct “coo” I heard was from a mourning dove.

From Seattle Times