Columbaceous
/ˌkɒləmˈbeɪʃəs/noun
Relating to pigeons or doves, especially the bird family Columbidae.
Did you know?The root behind Columbaceous appears in the scientific family name Columbidae and ultimately comes from Latin columba, meaning “dove” or “pigeon,” birds sacred to figures such as Aphrodite and Venus.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Latin
Latin
columba
“Dove or pigeon; the precise deeper origin is uncertain, possibly from a pre-Latin bird name.”
Late Latin
Latin
columbarius
“Relating to doves or pigeons; also associated with a columbarium, a structure for nesting birds or storing urns.”
Old French
Old French
colombe
“Dove or pigeon.”
15th Century
Latin
Columbus
“A Latinized personal name meaning “dove”; it later became the source of the name Columbus.”
18th Century
Scientific Latin
Columbidae
“The zoological family name for pigeons and doves, based on Latin columba.”
19th Century
English
columbaceous
“Relating to pigeons or doves.”