Auk Definition

ôk
noun
Any of various diving seabirds of the family Alcidae of northern regions, having a chunky body, short wings, and webbed feet, such as the razorbill and the murres.
American Heritage
Any of a number of related diving alcidine shorebirds of northern seas, with a heavy body, webbed feet, a short tail, and short wings used as paddles.
Webster's New World

Any of several species of Arctic sea birds of the family Alcidae.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Auk

Noun

Singular:
auk
Plural:
auks

Origin of Auk

  • From Icelandic álka, from Old Norse álka (“auk”), from Proto-Germanic *allakǭ, *allǭ (“sea-bird”), from Proto-Indo-European *el- (a kind of bird). Cognate with Swedish alka (“auk”), Danish alke (“auk”), Swedish dialectal alla (fuligula glacialis, “long-tailed duck”), Latin olor (“swan”), Ancient Greek ελέα (eléa, “marsh-bird”), Welsh alarch (“swan”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Norwegian alk from Old Norse ālka

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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