Dovecotes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of structure designed to house domestic pigeons or doves
2. A dwelling specifically built for the accommodation and breeding of these birds
3. An architectural feature that serves as a shelter for avian species, particularly of the dove family

Etymology: "Dovecotes" is the plural of "dovecote," a compound of "dove" and "cote." The second element is the more interesting one: "cote" is an old English word for a small shelter or enclosure, the same root that gives us "cottage," which originally meant a small dwelling. A dovecote, then, is literally a little shelter built for doves. Because the structure is named for its inhabitants, the word tells you what the building was for. Dovecotes were often freestanding towers or boxed nesting chambers, and the pigeons they housed were valued as a source of food and fertiliser, which is why they were so often found on estates and farms.