perch

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a bar or peg on which something is hung
2
a
: a roost for a bird
b
: a resting place or vantage point : seat
c
: a prominent position
his new perch as president
3
chiefly British : rod sense 2

perch

2 of 3

verb

perched; perching; perches

intransitive verb

: to alight, settle, or rest on a perch, a height, or a precarious spot

transitive verb

: to place on a perch, a height, or a precarious spot

perch

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural perch or perches
1
a
: a small European freshwater bony fish (Perca fluviatilis of the family Percidae, the perch family)
2
: any of numerous bony fishes (as of the families Percidae, Centrarchidae, and Serranidae)

Illustration of perch

Illustration of perch
  • 3perch 1a

Examples of perch in a Sentence

Verb pigeons perching on the roof perched the baby in a basket
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The mountaintop hotel is perched above the idyllic Swiss ski town with Matterhorn views from its indoor-outdoor pool and sauna circuit. Brandon Schultz, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024 There’s also a rooftop pool and ski concierge perched right at the base of Ajax Mountain to help guests pop in and out of their boots. Elycia Rubin, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Mar. 2024 Sturdy concrete government buildings like the National Assembly evoke the pyramidal design of a Maya temple, perched on an artificial mound where breezes could cool the structure. Simon Romero Alejandro Cegarra, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, December 2003 THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS Wrapped in ocean-blue Balenciaga couture, Alice perched on the mantel, longing to escape into the shadow world, as her black kitty purred nearby. Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2024 Cozumel is perched at the northern tip of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System — the second-largest barrier reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2024 The home, in a gated community, is perched on a windy bluff not far from restaurants, bars, a casino — places of revelry. Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Rooms are exquisite in the eyes of this 21st century traveler: generous and highly functional with views for miles and (many rooms with) bathtubs perched just right for gazing at the cityscape, glass in hand and book on tray. Kim Westerman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The busy Los Angeles Lakers star, 30, was doing interviews during All-Star weekend with the younger of his two sons happily perched on his lap. Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024
Noun
Based on its current perch, a surge of this magnitude would put the IT name back near the $54 mark. Schaeffer's Investment Research, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 There is no seating in the shop, but a bench just outside the door makes a handy pie perch. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 18 Feb. 2024 That op-ed perch seems to me to be journalism’s greatest platform. Steven Levy, WIRED, 15 Feb. 2024 In another unique Idaho wrinkle, Lake Cascade’s legendary jumbo perch have been known to live up to 15 years — pretty much unheard of for yellow perch, and one of the reasons the lake grows such giants. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 11 Feb. 2024 There is a circular perch for the birds surrounding the feeder's base. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2024 The shift opens up the Sunday-evening perch, which can serve as a springboard to more visible duties. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024 The latter also features inconspicuous alcoves with chairs that provide a nice place to perch. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2024 While the rugged coastline with its cliffside hikes and panoramic perches over the sea may be reminiscent of the French Riviera (as well as the many offshoot eateries and clubs from Cannes and St. Tropez), St. Barts offers one thing harder to find in France—powder-soft sand. Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English perche, from Anglo-French, from Latin pertica pole

Noun (2)

Middle English perche, from Anglo-French, from Latin perca, from Greek perkē; akin to Old High German faro colored, Latin porcus, a spiny fish

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of perch was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near perch

Cite this Entry

“Perch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perch. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

perch

1 of 3 noun
1
: a roost for a bird
2
: a raised seat or position

perch

2 of 3 verb
1
: to place on a perch
2
: to land, settle, or rest on or as if on a perch

perch

3 of 3 noun
plural perch or perches
1
: a common North American freshwater fish that is yellowish with dark green vertical stripes and is a popular food and sport fish

called also yellow perch

2
: any of various fishes related to or resembling the perch
Etymology

Noun

Middle English perche "a peg on which something is hung," from early French perche (same meaning), from Latin pertica "pole"

Noun

Middle English perche "a kind of fish," from early French perche (same meaning), from Latin perca (same meaning), from Greek perkē "perch (fish)"

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