wood pigeon

noun

: a large chiefly European pigeon (Columba palumbus) with a whitish patch on each side of the neck and wings edged with white

called also ringdove

Examples of wood pigeon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The team selected two carrion crows, two collared doves, and a wood pigeon–similar species to what Neanderthals might have eaten. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 July 2024 The bigger dishes are fish- and meat-focused—langoustine, John Dory, red mullet, Tamworth collar chop from his native Wales, wood pigeon, Jersey beef rib—but the team has given the spotlight to more vegetables than at the original, with small plates of pumpkin fritto and wild mushrooms. — Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1714, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wood pigeon was in 1714

Rhymes for wood pigeon

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Browse Nearby Words

wood pewee
wood pigeon
woodpile
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Cite this Entry

“Wood pigeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wood%20pigeon. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wood pigeon

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