noun
pigeon
PIH-jihn
noun
1
A plump grey bird common in cities, known for its cooing call.
"Pigeons gathered in the square to peck at breadcrumbs."
2
Someone who is easily deceived, especially in a scam.
"The con artist picked out a lonely-looking pigeon at the bar."
How to Use Pigeon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe common city bird, or (informally) someone easily tricked.
Common pairings
feed the pigeons
an easy pigeon
clay pigeon
Word Forms
pigeoned past tense, pigeons plural, pigeons plural, Pigeons plural, pigeons singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “pigeon”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ gathered in the square to peck at breadcrumbs.
Etymology
From Old French pyjon, ultimately from a Latin word meaning "chirping bird" — it gradually replaced the older native English word "dove" in most everyday uses.