columbiform bird

9.9

A bird like a pigeon or dove with a small head and short legs

noun
/ˈkɒləmˌfɔɪrm bɜrd/

Specialized

: ave columbiforme

The passenger pigeon, once abundant, was a well-known columbiform bird native to North America.

Examples

A zoologist explained that doves and pigeons are classified as columbiform birds.
Many species of columbiform birds play important roles in seed dispersal.
A columbiform bird perched on the windowsill.
Many columbiform birds are found in urban areas.
Many species of columbiform birds play important roles in seed dispersal.
The passenger pigeon, once abundant, was a well-known columbiform bird native to North America.
A zoologist explained that doves and pigeons are classified as columbiform birds.

Surface Forms

columbiform bird singular

columbiform birds plural

Morphology

columbiform + bird

If a learner knows 'columbiform' as ‘relating to pigeons/doves’ and 'bird' as a feathered vertebrate, the phrase simply denotes a bird of the Columbiformes (a pigeon- or dove-type bird). The adjective+noun composition is fully compositional, so the overall sense is directly derivable from the constituents, even though 'columbiform' is a technical term.

Etymology

The name columbiform bird comes from the Latin word 'columba', which meant 'dove'. The part columbiform literally means 'like a dove', so the phrase simply names birds such as pigeons and doves today.