herring gull
1
5.4
- noun
- /ˈhɛrɪŋ ɡʌl/
:
gaviota argentea
- The loud call of the herring gull could be heard as it soared above the coastal rocks.
- black-backed herring gull
Examples
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At the beach, we watched the herring gull dive for fish right off the shore.
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Well, many bird, a common English bird, the herring gull, which I dare say you have all seen.
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Black-backs and herring gulls... ...big dump ducks.
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Black-backs... ...herring gulls, big dump ducks.
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That's Bostick imitating a herring gull.
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Think of a herring gull adroitly riding a sea cliff's upcurrents.
Academic text (1995) -
A flock of herring gulls gathered near the pier, eagerly waiting for scraps from fishermen.
Synonyms
51
1.0
A white bird with long wings that lives near the sea
27
2.0
A medium to large white seabird with long pointed wings and short legs
10
1.9
A bird that lives near the sea and often flies over water, like gulls or albatrosses
1
2.0
A bird that lives near the sea, like a gull
A large seagull with grey and white feathers and pink legs that lives near coasts
A mostly white bird with long wings that lives near the sea or lakes
A bird that lives near the sea, like gulls or pelicans
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'herring' (a fish) and 'gull' (a coastal bird): it names a type of gull associated with herrings. This noun–noun species‑naming pattern is a common, compositional formation across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Herring gull The name comes from the bird's habit of eating small fish like herring and following fishing boats, so people named the gull after the fish. That's why herring gull now means the large, gray-and-white bird you often see 'near the coast'.