albatross
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Uncertain. Probably from Spanish or Portuguese alcatraz (“pelican, gannet, albatross”), probably derived from Arabic الْغَطَّاس (al-ḡaṭṭās, “the diver”) (compare Alcatraz); 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 Latin albus (“white”). Not derived from modern Arabic قَطْرَس (qaṭras, “albatross”), which is perhaps borrowed from Spanish.
For sense development of "burden", see albatross around one’s neck.
Pronunciation
[edit]- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɒs/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɔs/
- (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɑs/
Audio (US): (file)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Diomedea_exulans_in_flight_-_SE_Tasmania.jpg/220px-Diomedea_exulans_in_flight_-_SE_Tasmania.jpg)
Noun
[edit]albatross (plural albatross or albatrosses)
- 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.
- Any of various African and Asian pierid butterflies of the genus Appias. Some species of this genus are also known as puffins.
- (golf) A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole, except a par 3 hole.
- (figurative) A long-term impediment, burden, or curse.
- 2006 March 13, Richard Lugar, speech to the Brookings Institution,
- […] energy is the albatross of U.S. national security.
- 2024 August 9, Tia Yang, Nathaniel Rakich, Mary Radcliffe, Cooper Burton, “Americans don't like Project 2025”, in ABC News[1], archived from the original on 10 August 2024:
- Project 2025 could be an albatross for Trump
- Synonym: albatross around one's neck
- 2006 March 13, Richard Lugar, speech to the Brookings Institution,
Synonyms
[edit]Coordinate terms
[edit](golf):
Derived terms
[edit]Translations
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References
[edit]- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “albatross”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Norwegian Bokmål
[edit]Etymology
[edit](This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]albatross m (definite singular albatrossen, indefinite plural albatrosser, definite plural albatrossene)
Norwegian Nynorsk
[edit]Etymology
[edit](This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]albatross m (definite singular albatrossen, indefinite plural albatrossar, definite plural albatrossane)
Swedish
[edit]Etymology
[edit](This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]albatross c (definite plural albatrossen, indefinite plural albatrosser, definite plural albatrosserna)
- albatross
- (golf) an albatross or double eagle (a score of three strokes under par for a hole)
References
[edit]- English terms with unknown etymologies
- English terms borrowed from Spanish
- English terms derived from Spanish
- English terms borrowed from Portuguese
- English terms derived from Portuguese
- English terms derived from Arabic
- English terms derived from the Arabic root غ ط س
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English indeclinable nouns
- English nouns with irregular plurals
- en:Golf
- English terms with quotations
- en:Pierid butterflies
- en:Tubenose birds
- Norwegian Bokmål lemmas
- Norwegian Bokmål nouns
- Norwegian Bokmål masculine nouns
- nb:Birds
- Norwegian Nynorsk lemmas
- Norwegian Nynorsk nouns
- Norwegian Nynorsk masculine nouns
- nn:Birds
- Swedish terms with IPA pronunciation
- Swedish lemmas
- Swedish nouns
- Swedish common-gender nouns
- sv:Golf
- sv:Birds