perch

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈpərch 

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)

b

: yellow perch

2

: any of numerous bony fishes (as of the families Percidae, Centrarchidae, and Serranidae)

Illustration of perch

• ³perch 1a

Synonyms

Verb

• alight
• land
• light
• roost
• settle
• touch down

Examples of perch in a Sentence

Verb

pigeons perching on the roof

perched the baby in a basket

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Electricity and water have been cut off to the camp since the start of the campaign Dec. 14, and PA snipers perched above buildings monitor its entrance, residents say. —Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Jan. 2025

The next ingredient was a high-pressure weather system perched over southern Idaho. —Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025

Noun

Astonishingly, the woman—whose ordeal was captured in a YouTube video—was largely unharmed, and she was eventually extracted from a nearby perch by the mountain rescue service. —Paul Hockenos, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2025

Shane Steichen’s Colts were supposed to threaten the Texans’ perch atop the AFC South. —Mike Jones, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025

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

Phrases Containing perch

• Nile perch
• ocean perch
• perch oneself
• pike perch
• silver perch
• speckled perch
• trout-perch
• white perch
• yellow perch

Kids Definition

perch

1 of 3 noun

ˈpərch 

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)"