English Explanatory Dictionary

perch

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of the three species of spiny-finned freshwater fish in the genus Perca.
  2. Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially:
  3. Acanthopagrus berda
  4. Distichodus engycephalus, Distichodus rostratus
  5. Johnius belangerii, Macquaria ambigua, Macquaria colonorum, Macquaria novemaculeata, Nemadactylus macropterus
  6. Kyphosus azureus
  7. Lateolabrax japonicus, Tautogolabrus adspersus
  8. Several similar species in the order Perciformes, such as the grouper.
noun
  1. A rod, staff, tree branch, ledge, etc., used as a roost by a bird.
  2. A pole connecting the fore gear and hind gear of a spring carriage; a reach.
  3. A position that is secure and advantageous, especially one which is prominent or elevated.
  4. A position that is overly elevated or haughty.
  5. A linear measure of 5+¹⁄₂ yards, equal to a rod, a pole or ¹⁄₄ chain; the related square measure.
  6. A cubic measure of stonework equal to 16.6 × 1.5 × 1 feet.
  7. A frame used to examine cloth.
  8. A bar used to support a candle, especially in a church.
  9. A platform for lights to be directed at the stage.
verb
  1. To rest on a perch (especially, of a bird); to roost.
  2. To sit upon the edge of something.
  3. To stay in an elevated position.
  4. To place something on (or as if on) a perch.
  5. To inspect cloth using a perch.
name
  1. A surname.
  2. a type of freshwater fish

Pronunciation

/pɜːtʃ/ /pɝt͡ʃ/ en-us-perch.ogg

Word forms

perch perches perching perched

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *perḱ-der. Ancient Greek πέρκη (pérkē)der. Latin percader. Old French perchebor. Middle English perche English perch From Middle English perche, from Old French perche, from Latin perca, from Ancient Greek πέρκη (pérkē, “perch”), cognate with περκνός (perknós, “dark-spotted”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *perḱ-, whence also Old English forn (“trout”), German Forelle (“trout”).

Derived words

American perch Balkhash perch barber perch bass perch black perch bluenose perch blue perch estuarine perch gray perch great perch Japanese red seaperch lake perch logperch Macquarie perch Nile perch ocean perch Pacific ocean perch perchlet perchling perch pest pikeperch pirate perch raccoon perch rainbow perch red-bellied perch red gurnard perch red perch ringed perch ring-tail perch rockperch rose fish sandperch sea perch → seaperch silver perch stone perch striped perch surfperch trout-perch tule perch white perch yellow perch perchlike sunperch aperch climbing perch deperch fall off one's perch knock someone off his perch knock someone off their perch overperch perchable perchery perchless perch plate perch pole perch stay reperch unperch nonperching perching bird

Translations

Armenian: պերկեսազգի Finnish: ahven Greek: πέρκα Italian: luccioperca Italian: sandra Italian: luccio Norwegian Bokmål: abbor Norwegian Bokmål: tryte Norwegian Bokmål: skjebbe Norwegian Bokmål: åbor Portuguese: pércida Portuguese: percídeo Serbo-Croatian: grgeči Spanish: perca Turkish: levrek Zazaki: lewregane
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