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Glite Dictionary
rock pigeon

rock pigeon

3.7
A wild grey pigeon with black stripes on its wings that many domestic pigeons come from
  • noun
  • /rɑk ˈpɪdʒən/
translation icon : paloma bravía
  • The rock pigeon can be recognized by its pale grey plumage and black-striped wings.

Examples

  • Many domestic pigeons are descendants of the rock pigeon, which originated in Eurasia.

  • Variation in the abundance of an exotic bird species, the rock pigeon (Columba livia), at random sites in Baltimore.

    Academic text (2008)

  • (Both the Zenaida dove and the city, or rock, pigeon—Columba livia—belong to the family Columbidae.)

    Academic text (1996)

  • The numbers of rock pigeons are not strongly correlated with those of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).

    Academic text (2008)

  • In urban areas, the rock pigeon is a common sight, often seen perched on rooftops.

Synonyms

rock dove
vsrock pigeon
3.4

A pale grey pigeon with black-striped wings from Europe and Asia

is an alternative common name used for the same bird
Columba livia
vsrock pigeon
  • Specialized
8.3

A pale grey pigeon with black stripes on its wings that many pet pigeons come from

is the common English name rather than the scientific label

Surface Forms

rock pigeon singular
rock pigeons plural

Morphology

rock + pigeon

The meaning is compositional: 'rock' + 'pigeon' denotes a type of pigeon associated with rocks or cliffs, so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a pigeon species/habitat. Although it is the common name of a specific species, the compound follows a transparent naming pattern that is cross-linguistically familiar.

Etymology

The bird called rock pigeon got its name from where it lives: on cliffs and rocky places, so rock refers to its home and pigeon names the bird. It is the wild bird that most 'domestic' or city pigeons come from, which is why many park pigeons are descendants of the rock pigeon.