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Glite Dictionary
solan goose

solan goose

9.3
A large white seabird with black-tipped wings that dives for fish
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : ganso solan
  • The cliffs were home to hundreds of nesting solan geese each spring.

Examples

  • We watched a solan goose diving for fish off the rocky coast.

  • A solitary solan goose soared above the crashing waves.

  • Look at that solan goose soaring above the waves!

  • The solan goose is known for its striking appearance.

  • We watched a solan goose diving for fish off the rocky coast.

  • The cliffs were home to hundreds of nesting solan geese each spring.

  • A solitary solan goose soared above the crashing waves.

Synonyms

solan
vssolan goose
  • UK
9.9

A large white sea bird called the northern gannet that lives by North Atlantic coasts

is an alternative name used more formally or regionally
Sula bassana
vssolan goose
  • Archaic
9.9

A very large white seabird with black wing tips found in the North Atlantic

is the everyday name used outside scientific contexts
solant goose
vssolan goose
  • UK
9.9

A large white sea bird with black wing tips that dives for fish

is the standard spelling rather than the variant written form

Surface Forms

solan goose singular
solan geese plural

Morphology

solan + goose

The compound combines 'solan' (a seabird) as a modifier with the head noun 'goose', so the meaning — a particular kind of large seabird/goose — is directly inferable from the parts. This follows regular noun–noun compounding patterns in English, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Solan goose may come from an old sea word like sula for this diving bird, and people added goose because its white body and long neck looked like a goose on the water. So today solan goose means the large white seabird called 'northern gannet'.