pigeon

pigeon
I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French pygoun, pijun, from Late Latin pipion-, pipio young bird, from Latin pipire to chirp Date: 14th century 1. any of a widely distributed family (Columbidae, order Columbiformes) of birds with a stout body, rather short legs, and smooth and compact plumage; especially a member of any of numerous varieties of the rock dove that exist in domestication and in the feral state in cities and towns throughout most of the world 2. a young woman 3. an easy mark ; dupe 4. clay pigeon II. noun Etymology: alteration of pidgin Date: 1826 an object of special concern ; accepted business or interest <
tennis was not his pigeon
>

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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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 — 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 Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 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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