turtle dove
nounUK /ˈtɜːtəldʌv/ · US /ˈtɝtəldʌv/
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”).
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).
A lover, one half of a couple.
- […] and then on a common impulse this curiously simple pair of habitual criminals were in each other's arms and exchanging fond kisses for all the world like honest lovers. "Hullo, turtle doves," remarked Nickle, stumbling in upon this idyll and accepting it with saving coolness.1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
- Out for their evening constitutional. A lovely pair of turtledoves. Around the jolly corner, and off to the park.1961, 101 Dalmatians:
- Derived terms
- 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