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Glite Dictionary
Cepphus columba

Cepphus columba

9.9
A small black and white seabird that lives along northern Pacific coasts
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : guillemot paloma
  • The Cepphus columba nests in rocky crevices along the Pacific coast.

Examples

  • Unlike other auks, Cepphus columba often forages close to shore.

  • Researchers observed a colony of Cepphus columba on the islands near Alaska.

  • The Cepphus columba is a fascinating seabird.

  • Many birdwatchers travel to see the Cepphus columba in its natural habitat.

  • Researchers observed a colony of Cepphus columba on the islands near Alaska.

  • The Cepphus columba nests in rocky crevices along the Pacific coast.

  • Many birdwatchers travel to see the Cepphus columba in its natural habitat.

Synonyms

pigeon guillemot
vsCepphus columba
  • US
9.9

A black and white sea bird with red feet that dives for fish

is the scientific species name used in formal identification

Surface Forms

Cepphus columba singular
Cepphus columbas plural

Morphology

Cepphus + Columba

Both constituents are taxonomic names with bird-related senses (Cepphus = seabirds; Columba = pigeon genus), so a learner who knows those elements could infer this is a bird species. However, the precise common name, family placement (auk), and geographic information are not derivable from the Latin binomial alone; scientific names are formulaic and only partially informative to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Cepphus columba may come from an old sea-bird name, Cepphus, plus the Latin word columba, which means 'pigeon'. Early scientists thought the bird's round body and soft call looked like a little pigeon by the sea, so the name helps you remember it is a 'pigeon-like sea bird' today.