passenger pigeon

noun

: an extinct but formerly abundant North American migratory pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius)

Illustration of passenger pigeon

Illustration of passenger pigeon

Examples of passenger pigeon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web When massive flocks of passenger pigeons arrived, communities gathered to hunt the birds, which were once an integral part of the American diet. Jared Del Rosso, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024 And Answers For Friday, September 6 ‘The Rings Of Power’ Season 2, Episode 4 Review: Another Atrocious Disaster In the 19th century, passenger pigeons—or Ectopistes migratorius—were so abundant that their flocks could stretch for miles, darkening the sky for hours. Scott Travers, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024 Martha The Passenger Pigeon Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, passed away on September 1, 1914, at the Cincinnati Zoo, bringing an end to a species that once filled the skies of North America. Scott Travers, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024 The group is involved in even more ambitious work using genetic advances to bring back the passenger pigeon and other extinct animals. Dino Grandoni, Washington Post, 15 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for passenger pigeon 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'passenger pigeon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of passenger pigeon was in 1772

Dictionary Entries Near passenger pigeon

Cite this Entry

“Passenger pigeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passenger%20pigeon. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

passenger pigeon

noun
: an extinct but formerly very common North American pigeon that migrated long distances

More from Merriam-Webster on passenger pigeon

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