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turtledove definition

turtle·dove (tʉrt′'l duv′)

noun

  1. any of several Old World wild doves (esp. genus Streptopelia) noted for their plaintive cooing and the affection that the mates are traditionally thought of as showing toward each other
  2. mourning dove

Etymology: ME < OE turtle, turtla < L turtur, of echoic orig.

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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