A small building or structure with compartments designed for keeping and raising pigeons or doves.
From Middle English combining 'dove' (the bird) and 'cot' (a shelter or small house). The word has been used since at least the 14th century to describe pigeon houses that were common on estates.
Dovecots weren't just about having pretty birds—they were serious medieval real estate, because a working dovecot could produce hundreds of pigeons a year for meat, which was hugely valuable before modern farming.
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