turtledove

American  

[tur-tl-duhv] / ˈtɜr tlˌdʌv /

noun

1. any of several small to medium-sized Old World doves of the genus Streptopelia, especially S. turtur, of Europe, having a long, graduated tail: noted for its soft, cooing call.

2. mourning dove.

3. a sweetheart or beloved mate.

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turtledove British  

/ ˈtɜːtəlˌdʌv /

noun

1. any of several Old World doves of the genus Streptopelia , having a brown plumage with speckled wings and a long dark tail

2. a gentle or loving person

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Etymology

Origin of turtledove

1250–1300; Middle English turtildove, equivalent to turtil turtle ² + dove dove ¹

Compare meaning

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

• turtledove vs. mourning dove

Example Sentences

Just like the way she is using tinsel and turtledoves.

From New York Times

We have such funny times, and now I can enjoy them, for everyone is so desperately good, it’s like living in a nest of turtledoves.

From Literature

Endangered turtledoves have appeared, as have rare bats and owls, beetles and moths.

From Washington Post

Ornithologists kept finding that birds that rely on insects for food were in trouble: eight in 10 partridges gone from French farmlands; 50 and 80 percent drops, respectively, for nightingales and turtledoves.

From New York Times

Who needs two turtledoves or a partridge in a pear tree when there are so many species under the sea, including the seasonally appropriate angelfish?

From The New Yorker