pigeon pair
Plural
pigeon pairs
1
a specific sibling combination consisting of a boy and a girl, typically born consecutively in the same family
The idiom "pigeon pair" originated in the early 20th century and was derived from the pigeon's tendency to lay two eggs at a time, typically one male and one female. This idiom is used to describe the gender composition of siblings in a family. It indicates that the family has one child of each gender. It is often used colloquially to describe the birth of a boy and a girl in quick succession.
- John and Emily are a pigeon pair, with John being the older brother and Emily being the younger sister.
- The Smiths were thrilled to have a pigeon pair, as they had always dreamed of having both a son and a daughter.