pigeon
gb/pˈɪd͡ʒɪn/ us/pˈɪd͡ʒɪn/
A2
English
galamb, balek
NOUN
A2
1
galamb
A2
Usage pattern:
a pigeon; pigeons
A pigeon landed on the bench and stared at our sandwiches.
Egy galamb leszállt a padra, és a szendvicseinket bámulta.
The square is full of pigeons in the early morning.
Kora reggel tele van a tér galambokkal.
Please don’t feed the pigeons near the café tables.
Learner examples
I saw a pigeon in the park.
Láttam egy galambot a parkban.
Pigeons live in the city.
A galambok a városban élnek.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse pigeon with pidgin (a mixed language).
Meaning
a common grey city bird
Collocations
a flock of pigeons
|city pigeons
|pigeons in the park
|to feed the pigeons
|pigeon droppings
|pigeon feathers
|a pigeon nest
|a rock pigeon
|pigeon wings
|a dead pigeon
Synonyms
dove (A close relative; often suggests a smaller, more delicate bird.)
Themes
animals
|nature
|city_life
Definition
A common bird you often see in cities.
A medium-sized bird, often grey, that is common in towns and cities and belongs to the dove family.
NOUN
C1
INFORMAL
2
balek
B2
Usage pattern:
a pigeon (for [a scam/trick])
The scammers look for a pigeon who will trust them quickly.
A csalók olyan balekot keresnek, aki gyorsan megbízik bennük.
He wasn’t a pigeon—he checked the story before handing over any money.
Nem volt balek: ellenőrizte a történetet, mielőtt bármennyi pénzt átadott volna.
The con artist tried to charm a pigeon into investing in a fake scheme.
Learner examples
Don’t be a pigeon—ask questions first.
Ne légy balek – előbb kérdezz!
Common mistake:
This meaning is informal and can sound insulting; avoid it in polite conversation.
Meaning
a person easily tricked
Collocations
an easy pigeon
|a perfect pigeon
|a pigeon for a scam
|pick a pigeon
|spot a pigeon
|a pigeon in a con
Synonyms
sucker (More common and blunt; strongly informal.)
|
dupe (More neutral; emphasizes being deceived.)
|
mark (Common in crime context; the chosen victim.)
Antonyms
skeptic (Someone who is not easily convinced or fooled.)
Themes
crime
|people
|social_relations
Definition
Someone who is easy to fool.
A person who is easily deceived, especially someone targeted as the victim of a trick or scam.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pigeon
IPA
GB/pˈɪd͡ʒɪn/
US/pˈɪd͡ʒɪn/
Syllables & stress
pi - geon (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pi)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pigeon
- Plural: pigeons
Word family
Expressions
carrier pigeon
1/kˈɛɹiɚ pˈɪd͡ʒɪn/
fixed phrase
pigeon trained to carry messages
A pigeon used to deliver messages.
Examples
- Before radios, armies sometimes used carrier pigeons to send urgent messages.
- The museum has a display about carrier pigeons in wartime.
- He joked that he’d have to use a carrier pigeon because the internet was down.
Learner examples
- A carrier pigeon can carry a message.
homing pigeon
1/hˈoʊmɪŋ pˈɪd͡ʒɪn/
fixed phrase
pigeon that returns home
A pigeon that can fly back home from far away.
Examples
- They released a homing pigeon, and it flew straight back to the loft.
- Homing pigeons were once used to carry messages across long distances.
- The club trains homing pigeons for weekend races.
Learner examples
- A homing pigeon can return home.
pigeon drop
1/pˈɪd͡ʒɪn dɹˈɑp/
fixed phrase
slang
a scam with “found” money
A trick where someone uses “found” money to scam you.
Examples
- Police warned shoppers about a pigeon drop scam in the parking lot.
- He realized it was a pigeon drop when the stranger insisted he pay a “deposit” first.
- The con artists ran a pigeon drop on tourists near the station.
pigeon loft
1/pˈɪd͡ʒɪn lˈɔft/
fixed phrase
a shelter for pigeons
A place where people keep pigeons.
Examples
- He built a pigeon loft at the back of the garden.
- The pigeons returned to the loft just before sunset.
- You need permission in some areas to keep a pigeon loft.
Learner examples
- The pigeons live in a loft.
pigeon pair
1/pˈɪd͡ʒɪn pˈɛɹ/
fixed phrase
informal
one boy and one girl
A boy and a girl (often twins).
Examples
- They’ve got a pigeon pair—one boy and one girl, born a year apart.
- My aunt has a pigeon pair of twins.
- After two boys, they were delighted to have a pigeon pair with the new baby girl.
pigeon racing
1/pˈɪd͡ʒɪn ɹˈeɪsɪŋ/
fixed phrase
sport of racing homing pigeons
A sport where pigeons race back home.
Examples
- His grandfather has been involved in pigeon racing for decades.
- The town has a small but active pigeon racing club.
- Pigeon racing requires careful training and daily routines.
Learner examples
- They like pigeon racing.
pigeon-toed
1/pˈɪd͡ʒɪn tˈoʊd/
fixed phrase
having toes turned inward
If you are pigeon-toed, your feet point inward.
Examples
- As a child, she was slightly pigeon-toed and needed special shoes.
- He walks a little pigeon-toed, especially when he’s tired.
- The doctor said the pigeon-toed stance would likely improve with age.
Learner examples
- He is pigeon-toed.