Illustration of perch
- 3perch 1a
1
: a bar or peg on which something is hung
2
a
: a roost for a bird
b
: a resting place or vantage point : seat
c
: a prominent position
his new perch as president
3
chiefly British
: rod sense 2
perched; perching; perches
: to alight, settle, or rest on a perch, a height, or a precarious spot
: to place on a perch, a height, or a precarious spot
plural perch or perches
1
a
: a small European freshwater bony fish (Perca fluviatilis of the family Percidae, the perch family)
b
2
: any of numerous bony fishes (as of the families Percidae, Centrarchidae, and Serranidae)
Synonyms
Examples of perch in a Sentence
Verb
pigeons perching on the roof
perched the baby in a basket
Recent Examples on the Web
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 15 May 2024
Elsewhere in Wyoming, Harvest Ridge, priced at $1.68 million, is perched atop Spring Creek and sits on five acres in Jackson.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 May 2024
The excursion had all the makings of a feel-good crescendo to the visit: the majestic vista from a mountain pass perched more than 2,103 meters (6,900 feet) high.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 May 2024
The Starliner spacecraft is perched atop an Atlas V rocket built by United Launch Alliance.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024
Boeing's Starliner astronaut crew ship is perched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station awaiting launch on the spacecraft's third test flight, its first with astronauts aboard.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 5 May 2024
Furthermore, a lengthy catwalk, perched high atop the middle of the floor, lowered down even with the risen B-stage, allowing Bunny to walk out above everyone on the floor.
—Stefan Stevenson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 May 2024
Our house perches on the edge of a bucolic valley, its pastures divided by ancient dry-stone walls and hawthorn hedges.
—Plum Sykes, Vogue, 2 May 2024
On a hot and humid night in Vietnam, a scaly creature perched on a rock in the middle of a forest.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 1 May 2024
Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2024
That’s easier said than done, especially from the perch of an organization running off tobacco money.
—Nicholas Florko, STAT, 13 May 2024
Stop at the high perch of Blue Vista Point for incredible views and to breathe the cool mountain air.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 10 May 2024
But perhaps the most coveted perch during the opening ceremony will be the Champagne bar at La Tour d’Argent restaurant, which boasts unobstructed views of the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Seine.
—Vivian Song, Robb Report, 4 May 2024
While the precarious perches help goats avoid being eaten, there is an obvious downside to these sanctuaries: avalanches.
—Lesley Evans Ogden, New York Times, 1 May 2024
Judging from the photos, Lara’s 3-plus-pound perch was a female fish loaded with eggs.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 May 2024
She is also fascinated by birds and loves to birdwatch through the window from her perch on the very top of the cat tree.
—The Arizona Republic, 3 May 2024
And an elegant mansion set behind gates on an elevated perch above winding Hampton Road, listed for $14.5 million with Ann Newton Cane and Michael Dreyfus of Sotheby’s International Realty, epitomizes the gracious lifestyle Piedmont offers its almost 12,000 residents today.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 2 May 2024
Verb
When perched on a branch, the new species almost looks like a dry leaf, a photo shows.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 15 May 2024
Elsewhere in Wyoming, Harvest Ridge, priced at $1.68 million, is perched atop Spring Creek and sits on five acres in Jackson.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 May 2024
The excursion had all the makings of a feel-good crescendo to the visit: the majestic vista from a mountain pass perched more than 2,103 meters (6,900 feet) high.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 May 2024
The Starliner spacecraft is perched atop an Atlas V rocket built by United Launch Alliance.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024
Boeing's Starliner astronaut crew ship is perched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station awaiting launch on the spacecraft's third test flight, its first with astronauts aboard.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 5 May 2024
Furthermore, a lengthy catwalk, perched high atop the middle of the floor, lowered down even with the risen B-stage, allowing Bunny to walk out above everyone on the floor.
—Stefan Stevenson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 May 2024
Our house perches on the edge of a bucolic valley, its pastures divided by ancient dry-stone walls and hawthorn hedges.
—Plum Sykes, Vogue, 2 May 2024
On a hot and humid night in Vietnam, a scaly creature perched on a rock in the middle of a forest.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 1 May 2024
Noun
Weeks’ daughter, Mercedes Chastain, said as the wagon, supported by beams beneath its belly, rose off its perch of stones and swung into the air.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2024
That’s easier said than done, especially from the perch of an organization running off tobacco money.
—Nicholas Florko, STAT, 13 May 2024
Stop at the high perch of Blue Vista Point for incredible views and to breathe the cool mountain air.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 10 May 2024
But perhaps the most coveted perch during the opening ceremony will be the Champagne bar at La Tour d’Argent restaurant, which boasts unobstructed views of the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Seine.
—Vivian Song, Robb Report, 4 May 2024
While the precarious perches help goats avoid being eaten, there is an obvious downside to these sanctuaries: avalanches.
—Lesley Evans Ogden, New York Times, 1 May 2024
Judging from the photos, Lara’s 3-plus-pound perch was a female fish loaded with eggs.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 May 2024
She is also fascinated by birds and loves to birdwatch through the window from her perch on the very top of the cat tree.
—The Arizona Republic, 3 May 2024
And an elegant mansion set behind gates on an elevated perch above winding Hampton Road, listed for $14.5 million with Ann Newton Cane and Michael Dreyfus of Sotheby’s International Realty, epitomizes the gracious lifestyle Piedmont offers its almost 12,000 residents today.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near perch
Cite this Entry
“Perch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perch. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
perch
1 of 3 noun1
: a roost for a bird
2
: a raised seat or position
perch
2 of 3 verb1
: to place on a perch
2
: to land, settle, or rest on or as if on a perch
perch
3 of 3 noun
plural perch or perches
1
: a common North American freshwater fish that is yellowish with dark green vertical stripes and is a popular food and sport fish
called also yellow perch
2
: any of various fishes related to or resembling the perch
Etymology
Noun
Middle English perche "a peg on which something is hung," from early French perche (same meaning), from Latin pertica "pole"
Noun
Middle English perche "a kind of fish," from early French perche (same meaning), from Latin perca (same meaning), from Greek perkē "perch (fish)"
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