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Glite Dictionary
razorbill

razorbill

1 8.6
A black-and-white seabird with a strong flat bill that lives in the northern Atlantic
  • noun
  • /ˈreɪzərˌbɪl/
  • UK
translation icon : alca torda
  • During our birdwatching trip, we were thrilled to see a razorbill nesting in the cliffs.

Examples

  • They are one of Ireland's biggest natural tourist attractions, but they also attract Atlantic puffins, razorbills, and other wild birds.

    Blog text (31)

  • The Other Side of the Island (Razorbill, 2008)

    Blog text (26)

  • My latest novels are How to Lead a Life of Crime (Razorbill, 2/2013) and

    Blog text (24)

  • In Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why (Razorbill, 2007), a popular book with excellent reviews, a classmate sends the protagonist a voice recording saying there were thirteen people who contributed to her decision to commit suicide.

    Academic text (2014)

  • We spotted a group of razorbills diving for fish along the rocky coast.

  • While sailing, we encountered a razorbill resting on the water's surface.

Synonyms

razor-billed auk
vsrazorbill
  • Specialized
9.9

A black-and-white seabird with a thin, sharp bill that catches fish

is the standard common name rather than this alternative name
Alca torda
vsrazorbill
  • Specialized
9.9

A black-and-white sea bird with a thick, sharp beak called the razorbill

is the ordinary common name instead of the scientific label
genus Alca
vsrazorbill
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of seabirds that has only one living species, the razorbill

refers to the species itself rather than the broader genus
Alca
vsrazorbill
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of seabirds that has only the razorbill, a diving bird of the North Atlantic

denotes the specific species rather than the whole genus

Surface Forms

razorbill singular
razorbills plural

Morphology

razorbill = razor + bill (transparent) = razor + bill

A straightforward compound of 'razor' + 'bill' describing the bird's sharp-edged beak, which learners can infer from the parts.

Etymology

Razorbill comes from the everyday words razor ('cutting tool') and bill ('beak'), because the bird's beak is flat and sharp like a small razor. So a razorbill is named for its sharp, knife-like bill that helps it catch fish at sea.