pigeonhole

¹pi·geon·hole

noun \ˈpi-jən-ˌhōl\

Definition of PIGEONHOLE

1

: a hole or small recess for pigeons to nest

2

: a small open compartment (as in a desk or cabinet) for keeping letters or documents

3

: a neat category which usually fails to reflect actual complexities

First Known Use of PIGEONHOLE

1577

Rhymes with PIGEONHOLE

aureole, banderole, bannerol, barcarole, barrel roll, buttonhole, cabriole, camisole, capriole, caracole, carmagnole, coffee roll, croquignole, cubbyhole, decontrol, Demerol, Dover sole, escarole, exit poll, farandole, finger hole, fumarole, girandole, girasole, Grand Guignol, honor roll, innersole, in the hole, Jackson Hole, jelly roll, kaiser roll, lemon sole, meadow vole, methanol, micromole, millimole, monopole, muster roll, on a roll, on the whole, oriole, ostiole, oversoul, ozone hole, petiole, pick-and-roll, protocol, rabbit hole, rigmarole, rock and roll, Seminole, totem pole, tracheole, vacuole, water hole

²pigeonhole

transitive verb

Definition of PIGEONHOLE

1

a : to place in or as if in the pigeonhole of a desk

b : to lay aside : shelve <his reports continued to be pigeonholed and his advice not taken — Walter Mills>

2

: to assign to an often restrictive category : classify

— pi·geon·hol·er \-ˌhō-lər\ noun

Examples of PIGEONHOLE

1. She likes to perform different types of music because she doesn't want to be pigeonholed.

First Known Use of PIGEONHOLE

1840