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Webster 1913 Edition

Albatross

Al′ba-tross

,
Noun.
[Corrupt. fr. Pg.
alcatraz
cormorant, albatross, or Sp.
alcatraz
a pelican: cf. Pg.
alcatruz
, Sp.
arcaduz
, a bucket, fr. Ar.
al-qādus
the bucket, fr. Gr.
κάδος
, a water vessel. So an Arabic term for
pelican
is
water-carrier
, as a bird carrying water in its pouch.]
(Zool.)
A web-footed bird, of the genus
Diomedea
, of which there are several species. They are the largest of sea birds, capable of long-continued flight, and are often seen at great distances from the land. They are found chiefly in the southern hemisphere.

Definition 2024

Albatross

Albatross

See also: albatross

German

Noun

Albatross m

  1. genitive singular of Albatros

albatross

albatross

See also: Albatross

English

Noun

albatross ‎(plural albatross or albatrosses)

  1. Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.
  2. (golf) A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole.
  3. (idiomatic) A long-term impediment, burden, or curse.

Synonyms

Translations

References

  1. ↑

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

albatross m ‎(definite singular albatrossen, indefinite plural albatrosser, definite plural albatrossene)

  1. an albatross (a large oceanic bird of the Southern Hemisphere)

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

albatross m ‎(definite singular albatrossen, indefinite plural albatrossar, definite plural albatrossane)

  1. an albatross (as above)

Swedish

Noun

albatross c ‎(definite plural albatrossen, indefinite plural albatrosser, definite plural albatrosserna)

  1. an albatross (a large oceanic bird of the Southern Hemisphere)
  2. (golf) an albatross or double eagle (a score of three strokes under par for a hole)

Etymology

Probably from Spanish or Portuguese alcatraz ‎(“pelican”), probably derived from Arabic الْغَطَّاس ‎(al-ḡaṭṭās, “the diver”); or from Portuguese alcatruz ‎(“water wheel bucket”), from Arabic الْقَادُوس ‎(al-qādūs), from Ancient Greek κάδος ‎(kádos, “pail, jar”), in reference to the pouch of a pelican.[1] In either case, altered under the influence of the Latin word albus ‎(“white”). Not derived from modern Arabic قَطْرَس ‎(qaṭras, “albatross”), which is perhaps borrowed from Spanish.

The "long-term impediment" sense is derived from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, from the seabird.

Pronunciation

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