Aplopelia
ap-lo-PEH-lee-uh
Genus
the plain or simple dove
Literally: simple dove
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| aplo- | simple, single | Greek (apl, -o) | combining form with -o- connecting vowel |
| -pelia | a dove | Greek (=pelia) | terminal word-form; conventionally feminine as a Latin genus name in -a |
A Greek compound noun used as a Latin feminine genus name. The combining form aplo- (simple, single) joins directly to the terminal element -pelia (dove) via the -o- connecting vowel already present in aplo-. The name describes the genus as the 'plain' or 'simple' dove, likely alluding to the unadorned plumage of its members (e.g. the Lemon Dove, Aplopelia larvata). No epithet is present; this is a uninomial genus name.
Pronunciation
- ap-lo-PEH-lee-uh Antepenult stress: the penult (-li-) has a short vowel followed by only one consonant and then a final vowel, so the penult stress conditions are not met; stress falls on the antepenult (-pe-), whose vowel is short (e followed by a single consonant without the qualifying following vowel sequence for length).
Other readings
A minority reading could parse the initial segment as a- (privative) + plo- from some root, but the dictionary clearly supports aplo- as a single combining form meaning 'simple', making that split unnecessary and implausible.
Both roots were confirmed in the dictionary: apl, -o (Greek, simple/single) and =pelia (Greek, a dove). The genus contains species such as Aplopelia larvata (Lemon Dove). The name alludes to the relatively plain appearance of these doves compared to more ornate columbids.