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Definition: albatross from Philip's Encyclopedia

Large, migratory oceanic bird of the Southern Hemisphere famed for its effortless, gliding flight. There are 13 species. The wandering albatross has a long, hooked bill, short tail, webbed toes and the greatest wing span of any living bird - 3.5m (11.5ft) or more. Length: 0.7-1.4m (2.3-4.4ft). Family Diomedeidae.

albatross

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Large seabird, genus Diomedea , with long narrow wings adapted for gliding and a wingspan of up to 3.4 m/11 ft, mainly found in the southern hemisphere. It belongs to the family Diomedeidae, order Procellariiformes, the same group as petrels and shearwaters. The nostrils of birds in this order are tubular, and the bills are hooked. Albatrosses feed mainly on squid and fish, and nest on remote oceanic islands. They can cover enormous distances, flying as far as 16,100 km/10,000 mi in 33 days, or up to 640 km/600 mi in one day. They fly at speeds of up to 53.5 kph/50 mph, and continue flying even after dark, though they may stop for an hour's rest and to feed during the night. Albatrosses are becoming increasingly rare, and are in danger of extinction. The Diomedeidae family contains 14 species of albatross found in the South Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. A single white egg is laid. The chick's full weight is 12 kg/26 lb, heavier than the parents, which typically weigh around 9 kg/20…
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The word albatross has a confused history. The least uncertain thing about it is that until the late 17th century it was alcatras; the change of the first element to alba- seems to have arisen from association of the albatross's white colour with Latin albus ‘white’. However, which particular bird…
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Full text Article Albatross

From Brewer's Dictionary of Modern Phrase and Fable
A source of misfortune or guilt; a burden. The use of the word in this sense is first recorded in the 1930s, but the allusion is to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798) in which the Ancient Mariner shoots the albatross, a 'pious bird of good omen'. As…
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Full text Article albatross.

From The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea
There are 21 species of these large, long-winged, long-lived seabirds that are superb gliders, certain smaller species being known as mollymawks . The wandering albatross ( Diomedea exultans ) is continually on the wing from when it leaves the nest, and seven years later it first mates and nests…
| 322 words
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Full text Article albatross

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Large seabird, genus Diomedea , with long narrow wings adapted for gliding and a wingspan of up to 3.4 m/11 ft, mainly found in the southern hemisphere. It belongs to the family Diomedeidae, order Procellariiformes, the same group as petrels and shearwaters. The nostrils of birds in this order are…
| 513 words
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Full text Article Albatross

From A Dictionary of Literary Symbols
The albatross, of which there are several species, is a large web-footed bird with a hooked beak and narrow wings, found mainly in the southern oceans. The white Wandering Albatross, with a wing span of thirteen feet, is the best known; when it follows a ship it is a striking sight, and sailors have…
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Full text Article albatross

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
(ăl'bӘtrôs), common name for sea birds of the order of tube-nosed swimmers (Procellariiformes), which includes petrels, shearwaters, and fulmars. The wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans , made famous by Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner , has a wingspread of from 10 to 12 ft (305–366 cm), …
| 213 words
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Full text Article ALBATROSS

From Gaither's Dictionary of Scientific Quotations
English lyrical poet, critic, and philosopher And a good south wind sprung up behind The Albatross did follow And every day, for food or play Came to the mariner's hollo! “God save thee, ancient Mariner! From the fiends that plague thus thee! – Why look'st thou so?” – With my crossbow…
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Full text Article Albatross

From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
A large oceanic bird, noted for its powerful gliding flight. It was called the Cape Sheep by sailors from its frequenting the Cape of Good Hope, and it was said to sleep in the air. Sailors have long believed that to shoot one brings bad luck. From the Portuguese alcatraz , ‘pelican’, from Arabic…
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The Wandering Albatross
The wandering albatross is the world’s largest seabird, with an incredible wingspan that can reach 11 ft (3.5 m). Albatrosses spend much of their long life soaringover the sea, on trips that cover thousands of miles. They come on land tobreed. Conservation Several species of albatross are under…
| 270 words , 4 images
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Full text Article albatross

From The American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language
albatross wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans...
Any of several large web-footed birds constituting the family Diomedeidae, chiefly of the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere, and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings. a. A source of worry or distress. b. An obstacle to success. See Synonyms at burden . …
| 129 words , 1 image
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