Pigeon

Pigeon
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. [1913 Webster]

Note: The common domestic pigeon, or dove, was derived from the Old World rock pigeon or rock dove ({Columba livia}), common in cities. It has given rise to numerous very remarkable varieties, such as the carrier, fantail, nun, pouter, tumbler, etc. The common wild pigeon of the Eastern United States is the {Mourning dove} ({Zenaida macroura}, called also {Carolina dove}). Before the 19th century, the most common pigeon was the passenger pigeon, but that species is now extinct. See {Passenger pigeon}, and {Carolina dove} under {Dove}. See, also, {Fruit pigeon}, {Ground pigeon}, {Queen pigeon}, {Stock pigeon}, under {Fruit}, {Ground}, etc. [1913 Webster +PJC]

2. An unsuspected victim of sharpers; a gull. [Slang] [1913 Webster]

{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 Hindustani. --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 {Accipiter 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} ({Chrysobalanus ellipticus} and {Chrysobalanus 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.] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • pigeon — [ piʒɔ̃ ] n. m. • 1530; pijon XIIIe; bas lat. pipio, onis « pigeonneau » 1 ♦ Oiseau au bec grêle, aux ailes courtes (columbiformes), de couleur très variée selon les espèces (⇒ biset, colombe, 1. colombin, palombe, ramier, tourterelle); spécialt… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • pigeon — PIGEON. s. m. Sorte d oiseau domestique, qui vole ordinairement par bande à la campagne. Pigeon de colombier. pigeon de voliere. pigeon privé. pigeon patu. pigeon à la grosse gorge. pigeon masle. pigeon femelle. nourrir des pigeons. eslever des… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Pigeon — ist der Name mehrerer Orte in den Vereinigten Staaten: Pigeon (Michigan) Pigeon (Pennsylvania) Pigeon (Wisconsin) Pigeon ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Amédée Pigeon (1851–1905), französischer Journalist, Kunstkritiker und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • pigeon — Pigeon, Il vient de Pipio, par mutation du second p. en g. Pigeon ou coulon, Columbus. De Pipio, ostez le second p. il reste Piio, et de là Pijon. Pigeon ramier, Palumbes, vel Palumbus. Pigeon ramier qui a un colier, Palumbus torquatus. Oeuf de… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • pigeon — pigeon1 [pij′ən] n. pl. pigeons or pigeon [ME pejon < MFr pijon < LL pipio (gen. pipionis), chirping bird, squab < L pipire, to chirp, of echoic orig.] 1. any of a family (Columbidae, order Columbiformes) of birds with a small head,… …   English World dictionary

  • Pigeon — Pigeon, MI U.S. village in Michigan Population (2000): 1207 Housing Units (2000): 518 Land area (2000): 0.824359 sq. miles (2.135079 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.824359 sq. miles (2.135079… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Pigeon, MI — U.S. village in Michigan Population (2000): 1207 Housing Units (2000): 518 Land area (2000): 0.824359 sq. miles (2.135079 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.824359 sq. miles (2.135079 sq. km) FIPS …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Pigeon — Nom présent un peu partout en France, mais surtout dans l Ille et Vilaine. C est un surnom lié à l oiseau (latin pipionem), difficile à interpréter. On peut certes le considérer comme un sobriquet péjoratif (= personnage naïf, crédule), mais ce… …   Noms de famille

  • pigeon — (n.) early 13c., from O.Fr. pijon young dove, probably from V.L. *pibionem, dissimilation from L.L. pipionem squab, young chirping bird (3c.), accusative of L. pipio chirping bird, from pipire to peep, chirp, of imitative origin. Modern spelling… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Pigeon — Pi geon, v. t. To pluck; to fleece; to swindle by tricks in gambling. [Slang] Smart. [1913 Webster] He s pigeoned and undone. Observer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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