perch

1 of 3

noun (1)

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

perch

2 of 3

verb

perched; perching; perches

intransitive verb

: to alight, settle, or rest on a perch, a height, or a precarious spot

transitive verb

: to place on a perch, a height, or a precarious spot

perch

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural perch or perches
1
a
: a small European freshwater bony fish (Perca fluviatilis of the family Percidae, the perch family)
2
: any of numerous bony fishes (as of the families Percidae, Centrarchidae, and Serranidae)

Illustration of perch

Illustration of perch
  • 3perch 1a

Examples of perch in a Sentence

Verb pigeons perching on the roof perched the baby in a basket
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The design, a spherical vessel perched on a rectangular base, is a physical homage to the dichotomies in the scent itself. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Apr. 2025 The plastic bird wasn’t in its frequent resting spot along the sidewalk across from Armen; it was perched on the wood bench outside Altadena Beverage & Market. Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
Although the Inouye Solar Telescope began operating from its perch on the Hawaiian volcano Haleakala in 2022, the addition of its latest key piece of equipment provides a major boost to its spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution to the most powerful telescope of its kind in the world. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025 Sammy Hagar has been one of rock music’s most visible personalities for over half a century — from his days fronting Montrose in the early 1970s through his stint as Van Halen’s singer in the mid-1980s and early ’90s to his perch in recent decades atop the Cabo Wabo booze-and-bars empire. Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perch

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English perche, from Anglo-French, from Latin pertica pole

Noun (2)

Middle English perche, from Anglo-French, from Latin perca, from Greek perkē; akin to Old High German faro colored, Latin porcus, a spiny fish

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of perch was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perch. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

perch

1 of 3 noun
1
: a roost for a bird
2
: a raised seat or position

perch

2 of 3 verb
1
: 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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