Dove
Dove (duv) , noun
[Old English dove, duve, douve, Anglo-Saxon dūfe; akin to Old Saxon dūba, Dutch duif, Old High German tūba, German taube, Icelandic dūfa, Swedish dufva, Danish due, Gothic dūbō; perh. from the root of English dive.]
The domestic dove, including the varieties called fantails, tumblers, carrier pigeons, etc., was derived from the rock pigeon (Columba livia) of Europe and Asia; the turtledove of Europe, celebrated for its sweet, plaintive note, is Columba turtur or Turtur vulgaris; the ringdove, the largest of European species, is Columba palumbus; the Carolina dove, or Mourning dove, is Zenaidura macroura; the sea dove is the little auk (Mergulus alle or Alle alle). See Turtledove, Ground dove, and Rock pigeon. The dove is a symbol of peace, innocence, gentleness, and affection; also, in art and in the Scriptures, the typical symbol of the Holy Ghost.