homing pigeon

[ hoh-ming pij-uhn ]

noun

1. any pigeon used to carry messages and equipped by training and breeding to fly home, sometimes from great distances.

homing pigeon

noun

1. any breed of pigeon developed for its homing instinct, used for carrying messages or for racing Also calledhomer

Word History and Origins

Origin of homing pigeon¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

The 11-minute picture is set in a World War I-like battle zone where two soldiers on opposing sides take part in a secret chess game, communicating their moves via a homing pigeon that dodges bombs over a snowy No Man’s Land.

From New York Times

But my brain is a homing pigeon.

From Slate

He and Bert never seemed to get along, and our theory was that Ernie was a trained homing pigeon and had probably homed back to wherever he was born.

From Salon

Homing pigeon racing first started in United States in the 1880s, when the first 500-mile race took place.

From Washington Times

Bender, along with the 10 other members in the Platte Valley Homing Club, will travel around the Midwest from April to the end of June to compete in homing pigeon races, including a 600-mile race that will start in Fort Worth, Texas, and end at his house in Lindsay.

From Washington Times