turtle dove

Meaning

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 or couple as a pair.

Synonyms

turtle-dove

pigeon

dove

🕊️

European turtle-dove

turtledove

mourning dove

tambourine dove

Translations

Turteltaube

tourterelle

tortora

tórtola

tortelduif

tórtora

rola

Streptopelia turtur

üveyik

τριγόνι

tortora

turtur

qumrî

Streptopelia

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈtɜːtəldʌv/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: turtildove

Cognate with Old High German: turtultūba

Cognate with Middle High German: turteltūbe

Cognate with German: Turteltaube

Cognate with Dutch: tortelduif

Cognate with Faroese: turtildúgva

Cognate with Icelandic: turtildúfa

Cognate with Danish: turteldue

Cognate with Norwegian Bokmål: turteldue

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: turteldue

Cognate with Swedish: turturduva

In summary

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”).