# pigeon

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɪ.dʒɪn/ · frequency rank #12,829

## Definitions
1. One of several birds of the family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes.
2. The meat from this bird.
3. A person who is a target or victim of a confidence game.
4. A pacifist, appeaser, an isolationist, a dove.
5. A person hired to transport film footage out of a region where transport options are limited.
6. A weak or useless person.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Latin pīpiō
Proto-Indo-European *-h₃onh₂der.
Latin -ō
Latin pipio
Old French pyjonbor.
Middle English pygeoun
English pigeon
Inherited from Middle English pygeoun, borrowed from Old French pyjon, inherited from Late Latin pīpiōnem (“chirping bird”), derived from Latin pīpiāre (“to chirp”), of imitative origin. Partly displaced native English dove.

## Easily confused with
- **piston** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pigeon-vs-piston)
- **pinion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pigeon-vs-pinion)
- **pigeons** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pigeon-vs-pigeons)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ipgeon`, `pgieon`, `piegon`, `pigeno`, `pigeonn`, `piggeon`, `pigoen`, `ppigeon`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pigeon