perched
Americanadjective
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(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.
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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.
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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.
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Geology.
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(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.
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(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
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Perched on a hilltop beneath the Aegibong Peace Ecopark observatory where telescopes peek into the secluded state, the shop has drawn tens of thousands from South Korea and abroad since opening in November 2024.
From Barron's • Jul. 2, 2026
Perched on a hillside parcel that offers “sparkling views,” the property is surrounded by trees, which help to give it a true sense of privacy—a must for any celebrity homeowners.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
Perched high on mountain ridges, they seemed out of place, raising questions about where they came from and what they might reveal about Antarctica's past and future.
From Science Daily • Mar. 18, 2026
Perched at almost 7,500 feet above sea level, Abha is occasionally nicknamed by Saudis as the “Lady of the Fog” or “the Bride of the Mountain.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 28, 2025
Perched on a stool behind the librarian’s desk, Mr. Lemoncello looked completely dumbfounded.
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
