What does pigeonry mean?
A pigeonry is a building, enclosure, or other place where pigeons are kept, bred, raised, or trained. Its everyday use is relatively uncommon because most English speakers say pigeon loft, although pigeonry is especially useful when naming a dedicated establishment or the practice of keeping pigeons in a particular structure. Such places may provide nesting boxes, perches, ventilation, and space for feeding. A pigeonry is more specific than an aviary, which may house many species of birds, and it overlaps with dovecote, a term that often suggests a smaller building for domestic or ornamental pigeons. The word can also refer to the broader activity or custom of keeping pigeons, as in references to a traditional urban pigeonry. In modern contexts, dedicated pigeonries are associated with breeding, showing, racing, or maintaining domestic birds.
nounA building, enclosure, or other structure in which pigeons are kept, bred, or raised.
- A building or enclosure used to keep, breed, or raise pigeons.
"The old stone pigeonry overlooks the village rooftops."
"She converted the abandoned stable into a pigeonry."
"The pigeonry contains separate lofts for young birds and breeding pairs."
The standard plural is pigeonries, formed by changing the final y to ies.
"Several pigeonries line the outskirts of the town."
A pigeonry is to pigeons what an aquarium is to fish: a purpose-built home for the animals.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pigeonry come from?
Pigeonry was formed in English by adding the suffix -ry to pigeon. Pigeon entered Middle English from Old French pigeon, which in turn came from Medieval Latin pipionem; the precise origin of the Latin word is uncertain. The same broad Latin source appears in cognates such as Italian piccione and Portuguese pombo.
How pigeonry is actually used
Pigeonry is relatively uncommon in everyday speech; pigeon loft is usually more natural when referring to a simple building for keeping pigeons. The term can also denote a larger establishment where pigeons are bred or trained.
Easily confused with pigeonry
A pigeonry is a general term for any place where pigeons are kept, whereas a dovecote usually denotes a smaller structure housing domestic or ornamental pigeons.
A pigeonry is intended specifically for pigeons, while an aviary is a larger enclosure designed to hold various kinds of birds.