Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *perḱ-der.
Ancient Greek πέρκη (pérkē)der.
Latin percader.
Old French perchebor.
Middle English perche
English perch
From Middle English perche, from Old French perche, from Latin perca, from Ancient Greek πέρκη (pérkē, “perch”), cognate with περκνός (perknós, “dark-spotted”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *perḱ-, whence also Old English forn (“trout”), German Forelle (“trout”).
Meanings
Any of the three species of spiny-finned freshwater fish in the genus Perca.
(South-Africa) Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially: ▸ Acanthopagrus berda
(qualifier:Ghana) Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially: ▸ Distichodus engycephalus, Distichodus rostratus
(Australia) Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially: ▸ Johnius belangerii, Macquaria ambigua, Macquaria colonorum, Macquaria novemaculeata, Nemadactylus macropterus
(US) Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially: ▸ Kyphosus azureus
(UK) Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially: ▸ Lateolabrax japonicus, Tautogolabrus adspersus
Several similar species in the order Perciformes, such as the grouper.
yur wahkwehl (fish of the genus Perca) · grc πέρκη (fish of the genus Perca) · mhr олаҥге (fish of the genus Perca) · be аку́нь (fish of the genus Perca) · nl baars (fish of the genus Perca) · zza lewreg (fish of the genus Perca) · zza lewreginan (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · be во́кунь (fish of the genus Perca) · tr levrek (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · el πέρκα (fish of the genus Perca) · nb abbor (fish of the genus Perca) · ka ქორჭილა (fish of the genus Perca) · cmn 鱸魚 /鲈鱼 (fish of the genus Perca) · la perca (fish of the genus Perca) · az xanıbalığı (fish of the genus Perca) · sh grgečke (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · nb åbor (fish of the genus Perca) · pt perca (fish of the genus Perca) · sk okúň (fish of the genus Perca) · sq sharrok (fish of the genus Perca) · fy bears (fish of the genus Perca) · hu sügér (fish of the genus Perca) · gd basan (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · nuk ƛ̕isapaḥ (fish of the genus Perca) · gd muc-locha (fish of the genus Perca) · sh grgeči (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · nb piggfinnefisk (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · cv уланкӑ (fish of the genus Perca) · alt алабуга (fish of the genus Perca) · nb skjebbe (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · gd creagag-uisge (fish of the genus Perca) · sv abborre (fish of the genus Perca) · el πέρκα (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · tt алабуга (fish of the genus Perca) · nb tryte (fish of the genus Perca) · yi אָקון (fish of the genus Perca) · it spigola (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · pl okoń (fish of the genus Perca) · io perko (fish of the genus Perca) · eo perko (fish of the genus Perca) · fi ahven (fish of the genus Perca) · ca perca (fish of the genus Perca) · nuk ƛ̕isapiiḥ (fish of the genus Perca) · fi ahvenkala (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · it luccio (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · nb tryte (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · fr perche (fish of the genus Perca) · ru о́кунь (fish of the genus Perca) · fi ahven (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · nn åbor (fish of the genus Perca) · es perca (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · el πέρκα (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · sq sharmak (fish of the genus Perca) · es perca (fish of the genus Perca) · nay pillulkie (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · it branzino (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · grc ὀρφώς (fish of the genus Perca) · ja ペルカ (fish of the genus Perca) · it luccioperca (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · yue 鱸魚 /鲈鱼 (fish of the genus Perca) · is aborri (fish of the genus Perca) · pt perciforme (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · sh grgeč (fish of the genus Perca) · lv asaris (fish of the genus Perca) · zza lewregane (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · de Barsch (fish of the genus Perca) · tr levrek (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · ga péirse (fish of the genus Perca) · kpv ёкыш (fish of the genus Perca) · hy պերկեսազգի (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · uk о́кунь (fish of the genus Perca) · cs okoun (fish of the genus Perca) · et ahven (fish of the genus Perca) · koi ёкыш (fish of the genus Perca) · nb skjebbe (fish of the genus Perca) · mnc ᠰᠠᡥᠠᠮᡥᠠ (fish of the genus Perca) · fi ahven (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · nb abbor (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · it perca (fish of the genus Perca) · cy draenog (fish of the genus Perca) · udm юш (fish of the genus Perca) · ro biban (fish of the genus Perca) · pox borš (fish of the genus Perca) · da abborre (fish of the genus Perca) · izh ahven (fish of the genus Perca) · tr levrek (fish of the genus Perca) · pt percídeo (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · hy պերկեսակերպ (fish in the taxonomic order Perciformes) · ba алабуға (fish of the genus Perca) · mk ко́стреш (fish of the genus Perca) · hy պերկես (fish of the genus Perca) · it pesce persico (fish of the genus Perca) · it sandra (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · nrf pèrche (fish of the genus Perca) · sh гргеч (fish of the genus Perca) · bg ко́стур (fish of the genus Perca) · mrj алангы (fish of the genus Perca) · az xanı (fish of the genus Perca) · pt pércida (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae) · nb åbor (fish in the taxonomic family Percidae)
From Middle English perche, from Old French perche, from Latin pertica (“staff, long pole, measuring rod”).
Meanings
A rod, staff, tree branch, ledge, etc., used as a roost by a bird.
We know him now: […] / Not making his high place the lawless perch / Of wing'd ambitions, nor a vantage-ground / For pleasure; […] 1874, Alfred Tennyson, “Dedication”, in Idylls of the King (The Works of Alfred Tennyson; V), cabinet edition, London: Henry S. King & Co., […], →OCLC, page 8:
A pole connecting the fore gear and hind gear of a spring carriage; a reach.
(figuratively) A position that is secure and advantageous, especially one which is prominent or elevated.
[W]inning Wimbledon at just 19 years, earning her rightful place on the perch as world number one. 2022 August 1, Off the Leash, Darwin, NT, page 12, column 1:
Last year, Eighth Grade found poignancy and humor in its eponymous time period: that purgatorial perch between childhood and adulthood. 2019 August 14, A. A. Dowd, “Good Boys Puts a Tween Spin on the R-rated Teen Comedy, to Mostly Funny Effect”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 04 Mar 2021:
(figuratively) A position that is overly elevated or haughty.
You may thanke me, (Lady) / I haue taken you off your mellancholly pearch, / Boare you vpon my fiſt, and ſhew'd you game, / And let you flie at it: I pray the kiſſe me, […] 1612–1613 (date written), John Webster, The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy. […], London: […] Nicholas Okes, for Iohn Waterson, […], published 1623, →OCLC, Act II, scene iv:
(dated) A linear measure of 5+¹⁄₂ yards, equal to a rod, a pole or ¹⁄₄ chain; the related square measure.
The whole surface of the country is divided into irregular patches, following the undulations of the ground, from many acres to a few perches in extent, each of which is itself perfectly level, but stands a few inches or several feet above or below those adjacent to it. 1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume I, London: Macmillan and Co., page 236:
A cubic measure of stonework equal to 16.6 × 1.5 × 1 feet.
A frame used to examine cloth.
A bar used to support a candle, especially in a church.
A platform for lights to be directed at the stage.
bcl tugdunan (rod used by bird) · zza dunek (rod used by bird) · el κούρνια (rod used by bird) · mi pae (rod used by bird) · it pertica (rod used by bird) · es alcándara (rod used by bird) · hu rúd (rod used by bird) · wa djok (rod used by bird) · ca barrella (rod used by bird) · fr perchoir (rod used by bird) · nb sittepinne (rod used by bird) · nl stok (rod used by bird) · pl grzęda (rod used by bird) · ota تونك (rod used by bird) · tr tünek (rod used by bird) · it trespolo (rod used by bird) · de Hühnerstange (rod used by bird) · lv lakta (rod used by bird) · cs bidlo (rod used by bird) · da siddepind (rod used by bird) · mi rongohua (rod used by bird) · es percha (rod used by bird) · pl żerdź (rod used by bird) · cmn 棲架 /栖架 (rod used by bird) · hu ülőrúd (rod used by bird) · hy թառ (rod used by bird) · gl poleiro (rod used by bird) · hu ág (rod used by bird) · gd spiris (rod used by bird) · ko 횃대 (rod used by bird) · ga fara (rod used by bird) · mk се́дело (rod used by bird) · cs hřad (rod used by bird) · ru жёрдочка (rod used by bird) · kk тұғыр (rod used by bird) · ru жердь (rod used by bird) · grc πέτευρον (rod used by bird) · sk bidlo (rod used by bird) · nn vagl (rod used by bird) · pt poleiro (rod used by bird) · lt lakta (rod used by bird) · sv sittpinne (rod used by bird) · fi orsi (rod used by bird) · ru насе́ст (rod used by bird)
From Middle English perche, from Old French perche, from Latin pertica (“staff, long pole, measuring rod”).
Meanings
(intransitive) To rest on a perch (especially, of a bird); to roost.
The macaw perched on Jim's shoulder.
(intransitive) To sit upon the edge of something.
The platform was already crowded, but the newcomers threaded their way to the front amid a decorous murmur of welcome. Mr. Peeble shoved and exhorted and two end seats emerged upon which Enid and Malone perched themselves. 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Which Describes an Evening in Strange Company”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
(intransitive) To stay in an elevated position.
(transitive) To place something on (or as if on) a perch.
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. 2012 September 7, Dominic Fifield, “England start World Cup campaign with five-goal romp against Moldova”, in The Guardian:
(intransitive, transitive) To inspect cloth using a perch.
wa si mete a djoke (to stay in an elevated position) · es empercharse (to rest on a perch, to roost) · hu gubbaszt (to rest on a perch, to roost) · hu letelepszik (to rest on a perch, to roost) · ota تونكلمك (to rest on a perch, to roost) · pt empoleirar-se (to rest on a perch, to roost) · cmn 棲息 /栖息 (to rest on a perch, to roost) · fi olla korkealla (to stay in an elevated position) · pl przysiąść (to rest on a perch, to roost) · id hinggap (to rest on a perch, to roost) · hu vizsgál (to inspect cloth using a perch) · tr kondurmak (to place something on a perch) · wa si mete a djoke (to rest on a perch, to roost) · es apercharse (to rest on a perch, to roost) · fr percher (to place something on a perch) · pt empoleirar (to place something on a perch) · tr konmak (to rest on a perch, to roost) · bcl tugdon (to rest on a perch, to roost) · fr jucher (to place something on a perch) · fi tarkastaa (to inspect cloth using a perch) · fi istua orrella (to rest on a perch, to roost) · es aperchar (to place something on a perch) · tr tünetmek (to place something on a perch) · fi ripustaa (to place something on a perch) · hu megtelepszik (to stay in an elevated position) · ota تونهمك (to rest on a perch, to roost) · tr tünemek (to stay in an elevated position) · hu felül (to stay in an elevated position) · fi panna orrelle (to place something on a perch) · hu megül (to rest on a perch, to roost) · fr se percher (to rest on a perch, to roost) · yi זיצן (to rest on a perch, to roost) · tr tünemek (to rest on a perch, to roost) · it appollaiarsi (to rest on a perch, to roost) · ota تونكلمك (to stay in an elevated position) · ru возвышаться (to stay in an elevated position) · ota تونهمك (to stay in an elevated position) · nn vagla (to rest on a perch, to roost) · el κουρνιάζω (to rest on a perch, to roost) · wa s' adjoker (to stay in an elevated position) · hu ráhelyez (to place something on a perch) · yi אַראָפּלאָזן (to rest on a perch, to roost) · hy թառել (to rest on a perch, to roost) · hu rárak (to place something on a perch) · wa s' adjoker (to rest on a perch, to roost) · wa s' apîçter (to rest on a perch, to roost) · hu megtelepszik (to rest on a perch, to roost) · hu telepszik (to stay in an elevated position) · de niedersetzen (to rest on a perch, to roost) · hy թառել (to stay in an elevated position) · es emperchar (to place something on a perch) · hu leszáll (to rest on a perch, to roost) · hu átnéz (to inspect cloth using a perch) · pl przysiadać (to rest on a perch, to roost) · wa adjoker (to place something on a perch) · de niederlassen (to rest on a perch, to roost) · de setzen (to rest on a perch, to roost)