auk

Auks, Aethia psittacula

Meaning

Noun

Any of several species of Arctic sea birds of the family Alcidae.

Origin

From Icelandic álka, from Old Norse alka ("auk"), from Proto-Germanic *alkǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁el- ("a kind of bird"). Cognate with Swedish alka ("auk"), Norwegian and Danish alke ("auk"), Swedish dialectal alla (Clangula hyemalis, syn. Fuligula glacialis (species)), Latin olor ("swan"), Ancient Greek ἐλέα ("marsh-bird"), Welsh alarch ("swan").

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