pigeon

pigeon — noun

1. a stout bird, usually gray, that people often see around buildings and public sq

1.名詞B1
釋義

a stout bird, usually gray, that people often see around buildings and public squares; in some places it is also raised or cooked for food.

例句

A grey pigeon landed beside Leo's chips on the station steps.

pigeon in a familiar town scene

Dozens of pigeons flew above the market just before the rain.

同義詞
  • dove

    same bird family, but often used for smaller, paler, or symbolic birds

  • rock dove

    more exact species name for many city pigeons

  • wood pigeon

    a larger wild kind, especially in the countryside

文法句型

a pigeon

flocks of pigeons

cook pigeon

用法筆記

Usually countable when you mean birds you can see one by one. Food use often appears as a mass noun in menu or recipe language, as in 'roast pigeon'.

常見錯誤

❌There were many pigeon on the roof.
✅There were many pigeons on the roof.
💡this bird sense is usually countable when you mean separate birds.

2. a trained pigeon kept for organized flying races, especially because it can retu

2.名詞B2
釋義

a trained pigeon kept for organized flying races, especially because it can return to its home from far away.

例句

Mr. Wu's racing pigeon came home before sunset from Tainan.

racing pigeon returning home

Every spring, the club checks each pigeon before the long race.

同義詞
  • racing pigeon

    full descriptive term for this competitive bird

  • homing pigeon

    stresses the bird's ability to find its way home; often the type used in races

  • racer

    shorter term used informally by pigeon keepers

文法句型

a racing pigeon

keep pigeons for racing

a pigeon returns home

用法筆記

Often used with words such as 'racing', 'homing', and 'loft', and with verbs like 'keep', 'train', 'release', and 'race'. Distinguish from sense 1, which is the ordinary bird seen in streets and fields.

常見錯誤

❌Her pigeon won the flying game.
✅Her pigeon won the race.
💡competitions for these birds are called races.