dūfe

Dove comes from Old English dūfe, from Proto-Germanic *dūbǭ, possibly related to a root meaning 'dark' or 'dusky.' The word has cognates in German (Taube), Dutch (duif), and Swedish (duva). Pigeon comes from Old French pijon, from Latin pīpiō (a young chirping bird). The two words refer to the same family of birds — Columbidae. There is no scientific distinction between a dove and a pigeon. The split is linguistic and cultural: 'dove' sounds gentle and peaceful; 'pigeon' sounds urban and annoying.

The dove has been a symbol of peace since antiquity. In the Genesis flood narrative, a dove returns to Noah carrying an olive branch, signaling that the waters have receded. In Greek mythology, the dove was sacred to Aphrodite. In Christian art, the Holy Spirit is depicted as a white dove. Pablo Picasso's lithograph of a dove (La Colombe, 1949) became the symbol of the World Peace Congress and then of the peace movement generally.

The pigeon was the world's first domesticated bird, raised for food, messenger service, and religious offering. Pigeon post — using homing pigeons to carry messages — was used by the Romans, medieval Arabs, and Reuters news agency (which began with carrier pigeons between Brussels and Aachen in 1850). During both World Wars, military pigeons carried messages that saved thousands of lives. Cher Ami, a US Army pigeon in World War I, was awarded the Croix de Guerre.

Modern cities have an ambivalent relationship with pigeons. They are fed in St. Mark's Square and poisoned in Times Square. The same bird is a nuisance in one context and a tourist attraction in another. The word choice reflects the attitude: call it a dove and it is peaceful. Call it a pigeon and it is a pest. The bird is the same. The name determines the response.