shearwater

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.03 in modern English

Syllables: shear-wa-ter
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Meaning

noun

Any of the long-winged pelagic seabirds of the family Procellariidae in genera Puffinus, Ardenna, and Calonectris, that breed on islands and coastal cliffs.

noun

Any of the entire family Procellariidae, including certain of the petrels.

name

A locality in Latrobe council area, northern Tasmania, Australia.

Example Sentences

"At first I would not eat a frigate bird, a booby or a shearwater, but after a few months on the island I tried one broiled over coconut-shell coals, and I have never since missed an opportunity for such a feast."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der. Proto-Germanic *skeraną Proto-West Germanic *skeran Old English sċieran Middle English scheren English shear Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ Proto-Germanic *watōr Proto-West Germanic *watar Old English wæter Middle English water English water English shearwater From shear + water.

Inflected Forms

shearwaters (plural) sheerwater (alternative)

Phrases

Audubon's shearwater Baillon's shearwater Balearic shearwater Bannerman's shearwater Barolo shearwater black-vented shearwater Boyd's shearwater Bryan's shearwater

Synonyms

haglet