Pigeon \Pi"geon\, n. [F., fr. L. pipio a young pipping or
chirping bird, fr. pipire to peep, chirp. Cf. Peep to
chirp.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) Any bird of the order Columb[ae], of which
numerous species occur in nearly all parts of the world.
Note: The common domestic pigeon, or dove, was derived from
the Old World rock pigeon (Columba livia). It has
given rise to numerous very remarkable varieties, such
as the carrier, fantail, nun, pouter, tumbler, etc. The
common wild pigeons of the Eastern United States are
the passenger pigeon, and the Carolina dove. See under
Passenger, and Dove. See, also, Fruit pigeon,
Ground pigeon, Queen pigeon, Stock pigeon, under
Fruit, Ground, etc.
2. An unsuspected victim of sharpers; a gull. [Slang]
Blue pigeon (Zo["o]l.), an Australian passerine bird
(Graucalus melanops); -- called also black-faced crow.
Green pigeon (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of Old
World pigeons belonging to the family Treronid[ae].
Imperial pigeon (Zo["o]l.), any one of the large Asiatic
fruit pigeons of the genus Carpophada.
Pigeon berry (Bot.), the purplish black fruit of the
pokeweed; also, the plant itself. See Pokeweed.
Pigeon English [perhaps a corruption of business English],
an extraordinary and grotesque dialect, employed in the
commercial cities of China, as the medium of communication
between foreign merchants and the Chinese. Its base is
English, with a mixture of Portuguese and Hindoostanee.
--Johnson's Cyc.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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