pigeonhole

[ pij-uhn-hohl ]

/ ˈpɪdʒ ənˌhoʊl /

noun

one of a series of small, open compartments, as in a desk, cabinet, or the like, used for filing or sorting papers, letters, etc.

a hole or recess, or one of a series of recesses, for pigeons to nest in.

Also called pigeon hole, white hole. Printing. white space created by setting words or lines too far apart.

verb (used with object), pi·geon·holed, pi·geon·hol·ing.

to assign to a definite place or to definite places in some orderly system: to pigeonhole new ideas.

to lay aside for use or reference at some later, indefinite time: We must pigeonhole this excellent plan until the time is ripe.

to put aside for the present, especially with the intention of ignoring or forgetting, often indefinitely: to pigeonhole an unwanted invitation.

to place in or as if in a pigeonhole or pigeonholes: to pigeonhole papers.

to fit or provide with pigeonholes: The desk must be pigeonholed for all my papers.

Origin of pigeonhole

First recorded in 1570–80; pigeon¹ + hole

SYNONYMS FOR pigeonhole

4. categorize, catalog. 5. file. 6. postpone, shelve.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pigeon-hole

Then he reached over and brought down a letter from a pigeon-hole above his desk.
The Long Patrol|H. A. Cody
A big, bearded Landsturm man with a kind face was at the pigeon-hole.
The Man with the Clubfoot|Valentine Williams
I shan't waste time placing it; perhaps Carlton will find a pigeon-hole for it somewhere.
Letters of a Dakota Divorcee|Jane Burr
Do you pigeon-hole bills and money-lenders' circulars and second-hand booksellers' catalogues and all their wrappers?
Jaffery|William J. Locke

I could, from a pack of letters in one pigeon-hole, put to rout the whole theory.
Around The Tea-Table|T. De Witt Talmage

British Dictionary definitions for pigeon-hole

pigeonhole

/ (ˈpɪdʒɪnˌhəʊl) /

noun

a small compartment for papers, letters, etc, as in a bureau

a hole or recess in a dovecote for pigeons to nest in

informal a category or classification

verb (tr)

to put aside or defer

to classify or categorize, esp in a rigid manner

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pigeon-hole

pigeon-hole

also pigeonhole, 1570s, "a small recess for pigeons to nest in," from pigeon + hole (n.). Meaning "a compartment in a writing desk," etc. is from 1680s, based on resemblance. The verb is from 1840 literally; figurative sense of "label mentally" is from 1870.

[Y]ou will have an inspector after you with note-book and ink-horn, and you will be booked and pigeon-holed for further use when wanted. ["Civilisation--The Census," "Blackwood's Magazine," Oct. 1854]

Related: Pigeonholed.

pigeonhole

noun

verb (used with object), pi·geon·holed, pi·geon·hol·ing.

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Nearby words

Origin of pigeonhole

Examples from the Web for pigeon-hole

pigeonhole

noun

verb (tr)

pigeon-hole