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Glite Dictionary
pigeon guillemot

pigeon guillemot

9.9
A black and white sea bird with red feet that dives for fish
  • noun
  • /ˈpɪdʒən ˈɡɪləmɒt/
  • US
translation icon : guillemot
  • In the summer, pigeon guillemots can be seen diving for fish along the rocky coastlines of the Pacific.

Examples

  • Pigeon guillemots paddle across the surface of a kelp bed below, and cormorants roost on offshore outcrops.

    Academic text (2007)

  • The pigeon guillemot is easily recognized by its striking black and white feathers and bright red feet.

  • During nesting season, pairs of pigeon guillemots gather on cliff ledges to raise their chicks.

Synonyms

Cepphus columba
vspigeon guillemot
  • Specialized
9.9

A small black and white seabird that lives along northern Pacific coasts

is the common English name for the same black and white seabird

Surface Forms

pigeon guillemot singular
pigeon guillemots plural

Morphology

pigeon + guillemot

The phrase names a specific kind of guillemot, with 'pigeon' serving as a modifier that signals pigeon-like features; together they denote a particular seabird. This is a straightforward nominal composition (type-of structure) rather than an idiom, so a learner who knows both nouns can infer the general meaning.

Etymology

Pigeon guillemot gets its name because the bird's dark, rounded body and quick flight reminded people of a pigeon, while guillemot was an old name for small 'sea birds'. So the name suggests a pigeon-like 'sea bird', which fits this black-and-white bird with bright red feet.