pigeon

¹

[pij-uhn]

noun

1. any bird of the family Columbidae, having a compact body and short legs, especially the larger species with square or rounded tails.

2. a domesticated member of this family, as one of the varieties of the rock dove.

3. Slang.

   1. a young, usually attractive, girl.

   2. a person who is easily fooled or cheated; dupe.

4. Poker Slang.,  a card, acquired in the draw, that greatly improves a hand or makes it a winner.

pigeon

²

[pij-uhn]

noun

1. (not in technical use) pidgin; pidgin English.

pigeon

¹

/ ˈpɪdʒɪn /

noun

1. any of numerous birds of the family Columbidae, having a heavy body, small head, short legs, and long pointed wings: order Columbiformes See rock dove

2. slang,  a victim or dupe

pigeon

²

/ ˈpɪdʒɪn /

noun

1. informal,  concern or responsibility (often in the phrase it's his, her, etc, pigeon )

Word History and Origins

Origin of pigeon¹

1350–1400; Middle English pejon young dove < Middle French pijon < Late Latin pīpiōn- (stem of pīpiō ) squab, akin to pīpīre, pīpāre to chirp

Word History and Origins

Origin of pigeon¹

C14: from Old French pijon young dove, from Late Latin pīpiō young bird, from pīpīre to chirp

Origin of pigeon²

C19: altered from _pidgin

Idioms and Phrases

see clay pigeon; stool pigeon.

Example Sentences

Imagine a fifty-pound pigeon with the feet of a turkey, the beak of a toucan, and the prehistoric charm of a rhinoceros.

Read more on Literature

And the children had showed admirable restraint when it came to both squirrels and pigeons; Penelope had only had to offer a few cautionary reminders and the occasional distracting biscuit.

Read more on Literature

It released videos of pigeons strapped with joint-sized backpacks before revealing the move was a marketing stunt.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Until now, only humans and a few other vertebrates, including pigeons and macaques, were known to distinguish between these two durations.

Read more on Science Daily

They can be seen running up and down flapping their wings on the ledge – 34 storeys high – while their mother has been flying past with pigeons in her talons.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• deceive 
• discriminate against www.thesaurus.com
• dupe 
• exploit 
• persecute 
• pick on 
• prey on 
• sting