Dove Emoji: Meaning, Description, & Usage 🕊️

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Plus, learn what the dove symbolizes in cultures around the world

Co-authored by Dan Hickey Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: July 2, 2025 Fact Checked

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Description (Copy & Paste)

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Meanings & Uses

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🕊️ and Date in a Bio

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Dove Symbolism

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Related Emojis

Doves are a beautiful bird that have represented peace and purity for thousands of years, but what does the emoji 🕊️ mean? If you’ve been confused by this emoji in social media bios or other posts, we’ve got you covered. Keep scrolling to learn all the meanings of the dove emoji, what it means in a bio, and what doves represent in cultures around the world.

What does the dove emoji mean?

The dove emoji symbolizes peace, love, and harmony. It carries an olive branch in its beak, representing reconciliation and the end of conflict. It’s also often used to mean that someone who passed is “at peace” or to symbolize birds and nature more generally. It was originally designed as a religious peace symbol.

Section 1 of 5:

Dove Emoji Overview + Copy & Paste)

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The dove emoji depicts a white bird in midflight with an olive branch in its beak. Also known as the “dove of peace” emoji, it was originally designed as a religious symbol of Christianity and Judaism. On most platforms, the dove has a yellow beak, a white or white-gray body, and is facing to the left (on Microsoft, there is also a thick black outline around the emoji).^{[1]
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- On Emojidex, the dove faces to the right and is outlined in bright green. The dove also faces to the right on LG, but does not have an olive branch in its mouth.
- Many users confuse the dove with a pigeon. However, there is no official pigeon emoji.
- The dove emoji was approved as part of Unicode 7.0 in 2014 (as “Dove of Peace”) and added to Emoji 1.0 in 2015.
- You can copy and paste the dove emoji here: 🕊️

Section 2 of 5:

Dove Emoji 🕊️ Meanings & Uses

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Peace, love, hope, and tranquility The 🕊️ emoji is ultimately a symbol of peace and all the good things that come with it, like love, optimism, and harmony. Add this emoji to your posts and messages to show your hopes for peace (and to put good vibes into the world to make it happen!).
- “A gentle reminder that we support kindness and love in this comment section! 🕊️”
- “I hope this horrible conflict ends soon 😢🕊️”
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Reconciliation When someone “extends an olive branch, “ it means they don’t want to fight or feud anymore. What better emoji to represent this than the olive branch-carrying dove? If you want to make amends with a pal over text, try adding 🕊️ to show you’re ready to let bygones be bygones.^{[2]
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- “I hate that we haven’t talked in 2 weeks. Truce? 🕊️”
- “I read your apology, and I accept it 💟 Let’s put this behind us! 🕊️”
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“Rest in peace” The 🕊️ emoji can also symbolize that someone has passed away and is now “at peace.” Include the emoji in commemorative posts about someone you’ve lost to show you’re thinking about them and hope that their spirit is at rest.
- “Today marks one year since I lost my father ❤️‍🩹🕊️”
- “RIP Sparky 🕊️ You were the best dog and companion I could have asked for.”
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Religious faith Since the dove emoji was originally designed to be a Judeo-Christian symbol of peace, Christians and Jews might use it in posts related to their faith. Include the 🕊️ emoji in posts about religious ceremonies, like baptisms or church services, and prayers to show your faith and spread peace for all.^{[3]
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- “A beautiful morning for a baptism! 🕊️☀️”
- “My prayers go out to all war-torn nations. May we all feel peace soon! 🕊️”
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Birds and nature Of course, you don’t have to be religious to use the dove emoji! If you’re a bird lover or nature enthusiast, include a 🕊️ emoji in posts about your sightseeing, conservation efforts, or your general appreciation for the natural world. (Fun fact: the dove emoji appears in lots of posts about the Audubon Society, a nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats).^{[4]
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- “First birdwatching hike of the season 🕊️🐦🌳”
- “Sign my petition to fund our local bird sanctuary! 🕊️ 🖊️”

Section 3 of 5:

What does a dove emoji and a date mean in a bio?

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The account holder (or their loved one) may have passed on that date. There’s no single clear-cut meaning for a 🕊️ emoji with a date in someone’s social media bio (for example, “🕊️ 4/14/23”). Since the dove emoji represents peace or that someone has passed, it often signifies that the person whose profile it is died on that date and someone has updated their profile to acknowledge their passing. Adding 🕊️ with a date is a way to informally “archive” the account in memoriam.
- It could also be that someone close to the account owner passed, and the date is very significant to them. In this case, the dove emoji is an informal tribute to that person.
- However, a dove and date in an instagram bio doesn’t always means someone has died. The date could represent another significant date related to peace, love, or religion, like a wedding or late-in-life baptism. It all comes down to the individual account owner and what the 🕊️ emoji means to them!

Section 4 of 5:

What do doves symbolize?

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In the Bible, doves symbolize peace with God, innocence, and purity. After the great Biblical flood that wiped out most creatures (and people) on Earth, Noah released a dove from his ark. When it returned, it had an olive branch in its beak, meaning that dry land was near by. In this story, the dove represents the promise of peace from God (AKA, the end of the flood) as well as a pure, fresh start.^{[5]
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- Doves are also significant in Islam, as they were said to have assisted the prophet Muhammed.
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In some Native American tribes, the dove symbolizes protection and love. The Blackfoot tribe, for example, believed that the dove would protect their warriors and ensure their safe return from battle. Other indigenous cultures in North America, including the Aztecs, believed doves were symbols of love and incorporated them into wedding rituals.^{[6]
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- Even today, white doves are released after weddings when the new couple leaves a church to symbolize love, purity, and a new beginning. This tradition may not be directly related to the Aztecs, but shows the universal symbolism of (and affection for) doves!
In ancient Greece, the dove was associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and in Mesopotamia, the dove itself was a symbol of love, sexuality, and even war. It might seem odd to associate doves with battle, but their peaceful symbolism represents a hopeful end to the conflict (in Japan, for example, a dove with a sword symbolizes the end of war).^{[7]
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From anti-war protests to weddings and funerals to the Olympics, doves are a deeply engrained symbol of peace and harmony in our global culture. Many organizations who work toward peace as part of their mission include the dove in their branding, like the United Nations International Day of Peace logo featuring a dove and an olive branch.^{[8]
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Section 5 of 5:

Related Emojis

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The dove is far from the only bird emoji you can use. Check out these other feathered friends on your emoji keyboard to show off you love for birds:
- 🦃 (turkey)
- 🐔 (chicken)
- 🐓 (rooster)
- 🐣 (hatching chick)
- 🐥 (hatched chick)
- 🐦 (bird)
- 🐧 (penguin)
- 🦅 (eagle)
- 🦆 (duck)
- 🦢 (swan)
- 🪿 (goose)
- 🦉 (owl)
- 🦩 (flamingo)
- 🦜 (parrot)
- 🪶 (feather)