Pigeon Definition & Meaning

American

British

Idioms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms pigeon 1 American [pij-uhn] / ˈpɪdʒ ən /

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 American [pij-uhn] / ˈpɪdʒ ən /

noun

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

pigeon 1 British / 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

"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 pigeon 2 British / ˈpɪdʒɪn /

noun

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

"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 pigeon Idioms

1. see clay pigeon; stool pigeon.

Etymology

Origin of pigeon

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

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.

"On the way to Miami," Dmitriev wrote in an X post, adding a pigeon emoji and attaching a short video of a morning sun shining through the clouds on a beach with palms.

From Barron's

Well, Wild London is abundant with animal curiosities: from pigeons hopping on to the Hammersmith and City line to a snake colony by a canal.

From BBC

When pigeons are shown visually ambiguous images, they alternate between different interpretations, much like humans do.

From Science Daily

A row has developed between a council and some local people over the feeding of pigeons at Norwich Market.

From BBC

A pigeon infestation followed, leaving every room covered in bird droppings.

From BBC

Related Words

• deceive
• discriminate against
• dupe
• exploit
• persecute
• pick on
• prey on
• sting

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.