fulmar petrel
- noun
- /ˈfʌlmɑr ˈpɛtrəl/
:
fulmar
- The fulmar petrel is well adapted to life over the open seas of the Arctic and Antarctic.
Examples
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The fulmar petrel glided gracefully over the waves.
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Unlike many other seabirds, the fulmar petrel rarely ventures far from its cold oceanic habitat.
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A fulmar petrel can often be seen gliding low over the waves with stiff wings.
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Many fulmar petrels can be seen along the coast.
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A fulmar petrel is often spotted soaring above icy waters in the polar regions.
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The fulmar petrel gracefully glides over the ocean, searching for fish.
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During my trip to the Arctic, I was thrilled to see a fulmar petrel glide effortlessly on the wind.
Synonyms
1
9.6
A small sea bird with long wings that flies far from land
A heavy sea bird with a short tail that lives in cold northern oceans
A large sea bird with a short tail that lives in cold northern oceans
Surface Forms
Morphology
Both constituents are names of seabirds and the compound reads as a type-of relation (a petrel that is a fulmar or a fulmar-like petrel). This is fully compositional and follows common noun+noun naming patterns, so a B1 learner who knows 'fulmar' and 'petrel' can infer it denotes a kind of seabird.
Etymology
Fulmar petrel may come from two old images: fulmar comes from an Old Norse word meaning 'foul gull' because the bird gives off a strong, bad smell when it defends itself, and petrel comes from a story of St. Peter because the bird seems to 'walk on water' as it runs across the waves. So the name fits a large seabird that glides low over the ocean.