auk

[ awk ]

noun

1. any of several usually black-and-white diving birds of the family Alcidae, of northern seas, having webbed feet and small wings.

auk

/ ɔːk /

noun

1. any of various diving birds of the family Alcidae of northern oceans having a heavy body, short tail, narrow wings, and a black-and-white plumage: order Charadriiformes See also great auk razorbill auk
2. little auk or dovekie
   a small short-billed auk, Plautus alle, abundant in Arctic regions

Word History and Origins

Origin of auk¹

1665–75; < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse alka

Word History and Origins

Origin of auk¹

C17: from Old Norse ālka; related to Swedish alka, Danish alke

Example Sentences

Acoustic recordings of a colony of little auks reveal their nocturnal activities and offer valuable monitoring means for avian biology in the Arctic.

From Science Daily

"In the small intestine/of the little auk/we found Mexico City, Manila, Shanghai, New York."

From BBC

Despite their prodigious size, Kumimanu and Petradyptes possessed primitive flippers reminiscent of modern seabirds like auks and puffins that fly and dive.

From New York Times

Many sights described in his vivid prose can no longer be seen, like the great auk, which the naturalist mistakenly called a penguin.

From Washington Post

I'd better forgo the five syllables And stick with “a gull!” or “an auk!”

From Washington Post