razor-billed auk
- noun
- /ˈreɪzərˌbɪld ɔk/
- Specialized
:
alca navaja
- The razor-billed auk is easily recognized by its compressed, sharp-edged bill.
Examples
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The razor-billed auk can often be seen nesting on rocky cliffs along the North Atlantic coast.
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A group of razor-billed auks dived into the sea in search of fish.
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Look at that razor-billed auk!
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The razor-billed auk is known for its distinctive bill.
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A group of razor-billed auks dived into the sea in search of fish.
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The razor-billed auk can often be seen nesting on rocky cliffs along the North Atlantic coast.
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The razor-billed auk is easily recognized by its compressed, sharp-edged bill.
Synonyms
1
8.6
A black-and-white seabird with a strong flat bill that lives in the northern Atlantic
1
9.1
A black-and-white sea bird that dives for fish and lives on northern cliffs
A black-and-white sea bird with a thick, sharp beak called the razorbill
A group of seabirds that has only the razorbill, a diving bird of the North Atlantic
Surface Forms
Morphology
razor-billed + auk
This is a straightforward descriptive compound: 'razor-billed' literally denotes having a bill like a razor (sharp-edged), combined with 'auk' naming the bird. A B1 learner who knows 'razor', 'bill' (or 'billed') and 'auk' can compose these meanings to infer 'a kind of auk with a sharp/compressed bill', so the expression is transparently compositional.
Etymology
Razor-billed auk gets its name from its very sharp beak: people compared the bird's bill to a razor because the edge is thin and like a small knife. That's why the name points to the auk's strong beak used to catch fish.