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Glite Dictionary
Uria lomvia

Uria lomvia

9.9
A large black and white bird that lives at sea and nests on Arctic cliffs
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : uria lomvia
  • The thick-billed murre, scientifically known as Uria lomvia, is a remarkable seabird that thrives in icy waters.

Examples

  • The Uria lomvia nests in large colonies on rocky cliffs in the Arctic.

  • Researchers observed hundreds of Uria lomvia feeding in the frigid waters near Greenland.

  • Climate change poses a threat to the breeding grounds of Uria lomvia populations.

  • The Uria lomvia is known for its striking black and white plumage.

  • Have you ever seen a Uria lomvia in the wild?

  • During the summer months, Uria lomvia can be seen diving for fish along the coast of Alaska.

  • Every year, the Uria lomvia returns to its nesting sites, where it raises its young on steep cliffs.

Synonyms

thick-billed murre
vsUria lomvia
  • Specialized
9.9

A large seabird that lives in Arctic seas with a short, thick bill and black and white feathers

is the common English name version rather than the scientific Latin name

Surface Forms

Uria lomvia singular
Uria lomvias plural

Morphology

Uria + lomvia

This is a Latin binomial taxonomic name rather than a compositional English phrase; the parts function as proper names (genus + specific epithet) and do not convey the common-language meaning 'thick-billed murre'. Because 'lomvia' has no transparent lexical meaning in English and taxonomic epithets are essentially arbitrary labels, a B1 learner would not be able to derive the species meaning from the constituents.

Etymology

Uria lomvia comes from older names for the bird: Uria was used for sea birds and lomvia likely comes from the old Norse word 'lomvi', the local name for the 'thick-billed murre'. The name paints a clear image of a black-and-white seabird with a strong, thick beak that dives from cliffs to catch fish, so it points to the bird we know today.