dove

Other forms: doves

A plump white or gray bird that makes a cooing sound is a dove. In both religious and secular contexts, doves are often used to symbolize peace.

Doves and pigeons are closely related, and the two names are often used interchangeably. These round, short-necked birds live almost everywhere on the earth, with the exception of Antarctica, the highest elevations of the Arctic, and the Sahara Desert. In politics, a person whose priority is advocating for peaceful solutions is often referred to as a dove.

Definitions of dove

1. noun

   any of numerous small pigeons
   types:

   turtledove

   any of several Old World wild doves

   Australian turtledove, Stictopelia cuneata, turtledove

   small Australian dove

   Zenaidura macroura, mourning dove

   wild dove of the United States having a mournful call

   Streptopelia turtur

   the common European wild dove noted for its plaintive cooing

   Streptopelia risoria, ringdove

   greyish Old World turtledove with a black band around the neck; often caged

   type of:

   pigeon

   wild and domesticated birds having a heavy body and short legs
2. noun

   flesh of a pigeon suitable for roasting or braising; flesh of a dove (young squab) may be broiled
   synonyms: squab

   type of:

   poultry

   flesh of chickens or turkeys or ducks or geese raised for food
3. noun

   someone who prefers negotiations to armed conflict in the conduct of foreign relations
   synonyms: peacenik

   antonyms:

   hawk

   an advocate of an aggressive policy on foreign relations

   type of:

   disarmer, pacificist, pacifist

   someone opposed to violence as a means of settling disputes
4. noun

   an emblem of peace
   type of:

   allegory, emblem

   a visible symbol representing an abstract idea