English Explanatory Dictionary

turtle dove

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of several (species of) birds, called by this traditional name, mainly in the genus Streptopelia, of the family Columbidae (doves and pigeons, which also included the extinct passenger pigeon, dodo, and solitaire).
  2. A lover, one half of a couple.

Pronunciation

/ˈtɜːtəldʌv/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-turtle dove.wav /ˈtɝtəldʌv/

Word forms

turtle dove turtle doves turtle-dove turtledove

Etymology

From Middle English turtildove, turteldoufe (cognate with Old High German turtultūba, turtulatūba, turtiltūba, Middle High German turteltūbe, türteltūbe, German Turteltaube; German Low German Turtelduuv, Dutch tortelduif, Faroese turtildúgva, Icelandic turtildúfa), Danish turteldue, Norwegian Bokmål turteldue, Norwegian Nynorsk turteldue, Swedish turturduva. The first element is from Latin turtur (“turtledove”) (compare the archaic synonym turtle (“turtle dove (bird)”); the word is not related to turtle (“reptile with a shell”).

Derived words

Adamawa turtle dove Australian turtle dove Cape turtle dove Carolina turtle dove dusky turtle dove Eurasian turtle dove European turtle dove laughing turtle dove Madagascar turtle dove Malagasy turtle dove oriental turtle dove pink-breasted turtle dove red turtle dove rufous turtle dove spotted turtle dove western turtle dove
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