English Reference

Word

dove

/ˈdəv/

Definitions

01the bird

B1

n. a small bird, usually white, that people often use as a symbol of peace.

n. a bird of the family Columbidae, typically characterized by a small head, short legs, and a gentle cooing call.

“A white dove flew over the garden during the wedding ceremony.”

“The artist used the image of a dove carrying an olive branch to represent the hope for a lasting ceasefire.”

Synonyms

02politics

B2 · Politics

n. a person in politics who prefers peace and talking instead of going to war.

n. a person, especially a politician, who advocates for peaceful negotiation and conciliation rather than military conflict.

“The president was known as a dove who always tried to avoid war.”

“While the military advisors acted as hawks, the diplomatic corps functioned as doves, urging the administration to continue the trade talks.”

Antonyms

03term of endearment

C1

n. a sweet name you call someone you love or think is very gentle.

n. a term of endearment applied to a person regarded as pure, innocent, or gentle.

“Don't cry, my little dove, everything will be fine.”

“In the old folk song, the narrator refers to his lost love as a 'turtle dove' to emphasize her gentle nature.”

Literary · Dialect

Synonyms

Real-World Examples

“Bushell said the 30 turtle doves released in the park during the spring "seem really happy".”
BBC News · 7 Sept 2026

Etymology

* As an English surname, from the noun dove. * As a Scottish surname, calque of Scottish Gaelic (mac) Calmáin (“(son of the) dove”). Compare Coleman. * Also as a Scottish surname, variant of Duff. * As a north German surname, from the Low German adjective doof (“deaf”); see deaf.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Politics

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference