albatross
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
albatross
- /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɒs/ UK
- /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɔs/ US
- /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɑs/ cot caught merger
Where it comes from
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. 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.
noun albatross · albatrosses · albie
- 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.
- A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole, except a par 3 hole.
-
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.
Similar: albatross around one's neck
Similar: gooney bird, gooney, goonie, mollymawk
Thesaurus
noun
Similar: gooney bird, gooney, goonie, mollymawk
Translations
Every language
noun seabird
| Español | albatros |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 신천옹 sincheonong, 알바트로스 albateuroseu |
| 日本語 | 信天翁 ahōdori, アホウドリ ahōdori, 沖の太夫 oki no tayū |
| 中文 | 信天翁 xìntiānwēng |
| हिन्दी | महासामुद्र mahāsāmudra |
| Português | albatroz |
| Français | albatros |
| Deutsch | Albatros |
| Italiano | albatro, albatros |
| Ελληνικά | άλμπατρος álmpatros |
| Română | albatros |
| Русский | альбатро́с alʹbatrós |
| Tiếng Việt | hải âu mày đen |
| العربية | قَطْرَس qaṭras |
Talk about this word "albatross." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/albatross. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. albatross. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/albatross "albatross." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/albatross.Cite this
@misc{albatross_2026,
title = {albatross},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/albatross},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
