mourning dove

noun

: an American dove (Zenaida macroura) with a pointed tail and a plaintive coo

Examples of mourning dove in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tiny hummingbirds and warblers need very little water, while larger birds like robins and mourning doves appreciate slightly deeper areas. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 18 July 2026

Ground feeders like mourning doves or sparrows like to have some shrubbery or brush piles in the area as a source of shelter. — The Spruce, 5 July 2026

That might also explain why the nest isn’t doing well, as mourning doves work in unison to care for the eggs and later, the hatchlings. — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 4 May 2026

Previously, a 9-year-old boy shot a 48-year-old man in the arm while hunting mourning doves in September 2012. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mourning dove

• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• glove
• love
• of
• shove
• hereinabove

Kids Definition

mourning dove

noun

: a dove of North America with a mournful call