Any of various spiny-finned freshwater fishes of the genus Perca, especially either of two edible species, P. flavescens, of North America, and P. fluviatilis, of Europe.
Any of various similar or related fishes, such as the pike perch or the grouper.
[Middle English perche, from Old French, from Latin perca, from Greek perkē.]
"where a bird rests," c.1290, "a pole, rod, stick, stake," from O.Fr. perche "unit of linear measurement" (5.5 yards), also "measuring rod, pole, bar" used to measure this length (13c.), from L. pertica "pole, long staff, measuring rod," related to Oscan perek "pole," Umbrian perkaf "twigs, rods." Meaning "a bar fixed horizontally for a hawk or tame bird to rest on" is attested from c.1386; this led to general sense of "any thing that any bird alights or rests on" (1470). Fig. sense of "an elevated or secure position" is recorded from 1526. The verb is first recorded c.1384, from the noun. The "land-measuring rod" sense also was in M.E., hence surviving meaning "measure of land equal to a square lineal perch" (usually 160 to the acre), 1442.
"spiny-finned freshwater fish," c.1300, from O.Fr. perche, from L. perca "perch," from Gk. perke, from PIE base *perk-/*prek- "speckled, spotted" (cf. Skt. prsnih "speckled, variegated;" Gk. perknos "dark-colored," perkazein "to become dark").
Perch\ (p[~e]rch), n. [Written also pearch.] [OE. perche, F. perche, L. perca, fr. Gr. pe`rkh; cf. perkno`s dark-colored, Skr. p[.r][,c]ni spotted, speckled, and E. freckle.] (Zo["o]l.) 1. Any fresh-water fish of the genus Perca and of several other allied genera of the family Percid[ae], as the common American or yellow perch (Perca flavescens, or Americana), and the European perch (P. fluviatilis). 2. Any one of numerous species of spiny-finned fishes belonging to the Percid[ae], Serranid[ae], and related families, and resembling, more or less, the true perches. Black perch. (a) The black bass. (b) The flasher. (c) The sea bass. Blue perch, the cunner. Gray perch, the fresh-water drum. Red perch, the rosefish. Red-bellied perch, the long-eared pondfish. Perch pest, a small crustacean, parasitic in the mouth of the perch. Silver perch, the yellowtail. Stone, or Striped, perch, the pope. White perch, the Roccus, or Morone, Americanus, a small silvery serranoid market fish of the Atlantic coast.
Perch\ (p[~e]rch), n. [Written also pearch.] [OE. perche, F. perche, L. perca, fr. Gr. pe`rkh; cf. perkno`s dark-colored, Skr. p[.r][,c]ni spotted, speckled, and E. freckle.] (Zo["o]l.) 1. Any fresh-water fish of the genus Perca and of several other allied genera of the family Percid[ae], as the common American or yellow perch (Perca flavescens, or Americana), and the European perch (P. fluviatilis). 2. Any one of numerous species of spiny-finned fishes belonging to the Percid[ae], Serranid[ae], and related families, and resembling, more or less, the true perches. Black perch. (a) The black bass. (b) The flasher. (c) The sea bass. Blue perch, the cunner. Gray perch, the fresh-water drum. Red perch, the rosefish. Red-bellied perch, the long-eared pondfish. Perch pest, a small crustacean, parasitic in the mouth of the perch. Silver perch, the yellowtail. Stone, or Striped, perch, the pope. White perch, the Roccus, or Morone, Americanus, a small silvery serranoid market fish of the Atlantic coast.
Perch\, n. [F. perche, L. pertica.]1. A pole; a long staff; a rod; esp., a pole or other support for fowls to roost on or to rest on; a roost; figuratively, any elevated resting place or seat. As chauntecleer among his wives all Sat on his perche, that was in his hall. --Chaucer. Not making his high place the lawless perch Of winged ambitions. --Tennyson. 2. (a) A measure of length containing five and a half yards; a rod, or pole. (b) In land or square measure: A square rod; the 160th part of an acre. (c) In solid measure: A mass 161/2 feet long, 1 foot in height, and 11/2 feet in breadth, or 243/4 cubic feet (in local use, from 22 to 25 cubic feet); -- used in measuring stonework. 3. A pole connecting the fore gear and hind gear of a spring carriage; a reach.
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