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Definition of pigeon - 9 dictionary results
pi⋅geon
1
[pij-uh
n] 
–noun
| 1. | any bird of the family Columbidae, having a compact body and short legs, esp. the larger species with square or rounded tails. Compare dove 1 (def. 1). |
| 2. | a domesticated member of this family, as one of the varieties of the rock dove. |
| 3. | Slang.
|
| 4. | Poker Slang. a card, acquired in the draw, that greatly improves a hand or makes it a winner. |
Origin:
1350–1400; ME pejon young dove < MF pijon < LL pīpiōn- (s. of pīpiō) squab, akin to pīpīre, pīpāre to chirp
1350–1400; ME pejon young dove < MF pijon < LL pīpiōn- (s. of pīpiō) squab, akin to pīpīre, pīpāre to chirp
pi⋅geon
2 [pij-uhn] –noun
| (not in technical use) pidgin; pidgin English. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To pigeon
| pi·geon 1 (pĭj'ən) n.
[Middle English, from Old French pijon, probably from Vulgar Latin *pībiō, pībiōn-, alteration of Late Latin pīpiō, young chirping bird, squab, from pīpīre, to chirp.] |
| pi·geon 2 (pĭj'ən) n. An object of special concern; an affair or matter. [Alteration of pidgin.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Pigeon
Pi"geon\, n. [F., fr. L. pipio a young pipping or chirping bird, fr. pipire to peep, chirp. Cf. Peep to chirp.]1. (Zo["o]l.) Any bird of the order Columb[ae], of which numerous species occur in nearly all parts of the world. Note: The common domestic pigeon, or dove, was derived from the Old World rock pigeon (Columba livia). It has given rise to numerous very remarkable varieties, such as the carrier, fantail, nun, pouter, tumbler, etc. The common wild pigeons of the Eastern United States are the passenger pigeon, and the Carolina dove. See under Passenger, and Dove. See, also, Fruit pigeon, Ground pigeon, Queen pigeon, Stock pigeon, under Fruit, Ground, etc. 2. An unsuspected victim of sharpers; a gull. [Slang] Blue pigeon (Zo["o]l.), an Australian passerine bird (Graucalus melanops); -- called also black-faced crow. Green pigeon (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of Old World pigeons belonging to the family Treronid[ae]. Imperial pigeon (Zo["o]l.), any one of the large Asiatic fruit pigeons of the genus Carpophada. Pigeon berry (Bot.), the purplish black fruit of the pokeweed; also, the plant itself. See Pokeweed. Pigeon English [perhaps a corruption of business English], an extraordinary and grotesque dialect, employed in the commercial cities of China, as the medium of communication between foreign merchants and the Chinese. Its base is English, with a mixture of Portuguese and Hindoostanee. --Johnson's Cyc. Pigeon grass (Bot.), a kind of foxtail grass (Setaria glauca), of some value as fodder. The seeds are eagerly eaten by pigeons and other birds. Pigeon hawk. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A small American falcon (Falco columbarius). The adult male is dark slate-blue above, streaked with black on the back; beneath, whitish or buff, streaked with brown. The tail is banded. (b) The American sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter velox, or fuscus). Pigeon hole. (a) A hole for pigeons to enter a pigeon house. (b) See Pigeonhole. (c) pl. An old English game, in which balls were rolled through little arches. --Halliwell. Pigeon house, a dovecote. Pigeon pea (Bot.), the seed of Cajanus Indicus; a kind of pulse used for food in the East and West Indies; also, the plant itself. Pigeon plum (Bot.), the edible drupes of two West African species of Chrysobalanus (C. ellipticus and C. luteus). Pigeon tremex. (Zo["o]l.) See under Tremex. Pigeon wood (Bot.), a name in the West Indies for the wood of several very different kinds of trees, species of Dipholis, Diospyros, and Coccoloba. Pigeon woodpecker (Zo["o]l.), the flicker. Prairie pigeon. (Zo["o]l.) (a) The upland plover. (b) The golden plover. [Local, U.S.]Pigeon
Pi"geon\, v. t. To pluck; to fleece; to swindle by tricks in gambling. [Slang] --Smart. He's pigeoned and undone. --Observer.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : pigeon
Spanish:
paloma,
German:
die Taube,
Japanese:
鳩
pigeon
1211, from O.Fr. pijon "young dove," probably from V.L. *pibionem, dissimilation from L.L. pipionem "squab, young chirping bird" (3c.), acc. of L. pipio "chirping bird," from pipire "to peep, chirp," of imitative origin. Modern spelling is from later Fr. pigeon. Replaced culver (O.E. culufre, from V.L. *columbra, from L. columbula) and native dove. Pigeonhole (1577) was originally a small recess for pigeons to nest in. The verb sense of "label mentally" is from 1870. Pigeon-toed first recorded 1801 (of horses).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Pigeon
Pigeons are mentioned as among the offerings which, by divine appointment, Abram presented unto the Lord (Gen. 15:9). They were afterwards enumerated among the sin-offerings (Lev. 1:14; 12:6), and the law provided that those who could not offer a lamb might offer two young pigeons (5:7; comp. Luke 2:24). (See DOVE.)
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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pigeon
see clay pigeon; stool pigeon.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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