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rock dove

noun

Definition of rock dove

: a bluish-gray dove (Columba livia) that is indigenous to Eurasia but has been widely established elsewhere including most of North America and that is the ancestor of many domesticated pigeons and of the feral pigeons found in cities and towns throughout most of the world

— called also rock pigeon

Examples of rock dove in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 The feral pigeons that inhabit the city today are the descendants of wild rock pigeons, also known as rock doves, which are native to Europe, northern Africa and southwestern Asia. — Keith Williams, New York Times, "The Elusive City Squab," 23 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rock dove.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of rock dove

1655, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for rock dove

rock dove

noun

Kids Definition of rock dove

1 : a bluish gray dove of Europe and Asia that nests on rocky cliffs
2 : a variety of the rock dove that is now found in cities throughout the world

More from Merriam-Webster on rock dove

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with rock dove

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rock dove

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