shearwater

[ sheer-waw-ter, -wot-er ]

noun

1. any of several long-winged petrels of the genus Puffinus that appear to shear the water with their wing tips when flying low.

shearwater

/ ˈʃɪəˌwɔːtə /

noun

1. any of several oceanic birds of the genera Puffinus, such as P. puffinus ( Manx shearwater ), Procellaria, etc, specialized for an aerial or aquatic existence: family Procellariidae, order Procellariiformes (petrels)

Word History and Origins

Origin of shearwater¹

First recorded in 1665–75; shear + water

Word History and Origins

Origin of shearwater¹

C17: so named because their wings seem to clip the waves when they are flying low

Example Sentences

Balearic shearwaters are long-lived but Critically Endangered mainly because of declines driven by fisheries by-catch, as they can get caught on baited longline hooks and gill nets.

From Science Daily

Similarly a 2023 study in the Journal of Hazardous Materials found that flesh-footed shearwaters are suffering from a disease called fibrosis as they accumulate scar tissue from eating too much plastic pollution.

From Salon

Audubon’s shearwater, a seabird named for John James Audubon, also will get a new name.

From Seattle Times

Although it cannot be known for certain, it is possible that the shearwater was capable of escaping from the typhoon but instead chose to ride it out until the storm moved back over the ocean.

From Science Daily

As well as puffins, there are razorbills, kittiwakes, Manx shearwaters, guillemots and fulmars.

From BBC