PIGEON


Meaning of PIGEON in English

~ 1

■ noun

1》 a stout seed- or fruit-eating bird with a small head, short legs, and a cooing voice, similar to but generally larger than a dove. [Family Columbidae: many species.]

2》 informal, chiefly N. Amer. a gullible person, especially the victim of a confidence trick.

Origin

ME: from OFr. pijon , 'young bird', from an alt. of late L. pipio(n-) , 'young cheeping bird' of imitative origin.

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~ 2

■ noun

1》 archaic spelling of pidgin .

2》 ( one's ~ ) Brit. informal one's particular responsibility or business.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.