Spanish Conversation · Level 11
90 words
Spanish word
paloma
Pronunciation
IPA/paˈloma/
Meaning
- feminine nounpigeon
Example
Las palomas comen migas en la plaza.
The pigeons eat crumbs in the square.
More examples
Vimos una paloma blanca cruzar el cielo al atardecer.
We saw a white dove cross the sky at dusk.
Core concept
Stocky gray city pigeon that pecks crumbs in public plazas.
Common phrases
alimentar a las palomas
feed the pigeons
plaza llena de palomas
square full of pigeons
Similar words
pájaro: Flying, feathered creature ranging from tiny finches to large predatory birds.
ave: Birds as a taxonomic group, typically used in formal or scientific contexts.
Definition in Spanish
Ave de tamaño medio, pico corto y cuerpo compacto, común en plazas y parques; suele acercarse a las personas para comer migas y semillas y vivir en grupos.
Word origin
From Latin palumba 'dove', the word entered the Romance languages and through regular medieval sound changes became Spanish paloma.
Usage tips
- In bars and on menus Paloma commonly means a tequila-and-grapefruit cocktail, so context decides whether it refers to a drink or the bird.
Other meanings
- dovenoun
Related words
- palomardovecotenoun
- palomitapopcornnoun