perched

American  

[purcht] / pɜrtʃt /

adjective

1. (of a bird) resting on a perch, such as a branch, telephone wire, or fence, or a rod specially designed for the purpose.

   While hiking I caught sight of a perched owl near the trail.

2. settled or resting in a relatively high position, like a bird on a perch.

   The tour will stop for lunch in a perched village offering a splendid view of the entire French Riviera coastline.

3. Geology. (of a boulder or block) left on the top of a hill, ridge, etc., by ice that melted after carrying it there.

   As you continue hiking southeast, look out for the perched boulder overlooking a pond.

4. Geology.

   1. (of a lake) having a surface level at an unusually high elevation, well above that of aquifers and other bodies of water in the area, because it has formed on a dense, hardened layer of sand mixed with organic matter that traps water on top of it.

      Half of all the world’s known perched lakes are found on Australia’s Fraser Island.

   2. (of an aquifer) occurring above the regional water table, having been formed by an accumulation of groundwater that cannot permeate the underlying layer of clay or other dense soil.

      Perched aquifers are sometimes good water sources, but they tend to be relatively small and easily depleted with overpumping.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of perch.

Other Word Forms

• unperched adjective

Etymology

Origin of perched

First recorded in 1815–25; perch ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; perch ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Walthart added that as a mother, she was concerned about safety, with a detention facility perched just a five-minute drive from the local elementary school.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

As the car came to a standstill at a junction, I spotted one of the giant black birds that seemed to have followed me around Panama, perched imperiously on the side of the road.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

A small hexagonal black coffee table is perched in front of the couch, while a black-and-tan patterned rug adds some texture and depth to the space.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

Video showed the critter nervously perched on a shelf, seamlessly blending in with the toy kangaroos and bears.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

He crossed the room and perched on the corner of his desk, one jaunty foot swinging.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• alight
• squat
• touch down