Perch

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /pɜːtʃ/
• US IPA: /pɝtʃ/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)tʃ

From French perche, from Latin perca, from Ancient Greek πέρκη (perkē, "perch"), cognate with περκνός (perknos, "dark-spotted").

Noun

1. Any of the three species of spiny-finned freshwater fish in the genus Perca.
2. Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae.
3. Several similar species in the order Perciformes, such as the grouper.

Hyponyms

• (fish in genus Perca) Balkhash perch, European perch, yellow perch
• (fish in family Percidae) darter, pike-perch, zander
• (fish in order Perciformes) bass

Derived terms

• black perch
• blue perch
• grey perch, gray perch
• red perch
• red-bellied perch
• perch pest
• silver perch
• stone perch
• striped perch
• white perch

From French perche, from Latin pertica ("staff”, “long pole”, “measuring rod").

Full definition of perch

Noun

1. a rod, staff, or branch of a tree etc used as a roost by a bird
• TennysonNot making his high place the lawless perch
  Of winged ambitions.
2. A pole connecting the fore gear and hind gear of a spring carriage; a reach.
3. a position that is secure and advantageous, especially one which is prominent or elevated
4. (dated) a linear measure of 5½ yards, equal to a rod, a pole or ¼ chain; the related square measure
5. a cubic measure of stonework equal to 16.6 × 1.5 × 1 feet
6. (textiles) a frame used to examine cloth

Derived terms

• knock someone off his perch

Verb

1. (intransitive) To rest on (or as if on) a perch; to roost.
2. (intransitive) To stay in an elevated position.
3. (transitive) To place something on (or as if on) a perch.
• 2012, September 7, Dominic Fifield, England start World Cup campaign with five-goal romp against Moldova, The most obvious beneficiary of the visitors' superiority was Frank Lampard. By the end of the night he was perched 13th in the list of England's most prolific goalscorers, having leapfrogged Sir Geoff Hurst to score his 24th and 25th international goals. No other player has managed more than the Chelsea midfielder's 11 in World Cup qualification ties, with this a display to roll back the years.
4. (transitive, intransitive, textiles) To inspect cloth using a perch.