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noun

albatross

AL-buh-tros
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Albatross (noun) means a large seabird with long narrow wings and a hooked beak, found mainly over the Southern Ocean and North Pacific, famous for gliding vast distances without flapping. Example: “The albatross soared for hours behind the ship without a single wingbeat.”

noun
1
A large seabird with long narrow wings and a hooked beak, found mainly over the Southern Ocean and North Pacific, famous for gliding vast distances without flapping.
"The albatross soared for hours behind the ship without a single wingbeat."
2
A heavy burden, problem, or source of guilt that someone cannot get rid of.
"The failed project became an albatross around his career for years."

How to use albatross

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the big oceanic bird, or (more common in everyday speech) a constant burden you can't shake off.

Common pairings
an albatross around one's neck a lone albatross
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Word forms

Plural
albatrosses
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ soared for hours behind the ship without a single wingbeat.

Etymology

Probably from Spanish or Portuguese alcatraz ("pelican" or "gannet"), altered under the influence of Latin albus ("white"). The "burden" meaning comes from Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," in which a sailor is forced to wear a dead albatross around his neck as punishment.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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millstone gooney bird gooney goonie mollymawk

Related words

Miller burden goon gooney goonie Millstone mollymawk encumbrance

Frequently asked questions

What does “albatross” mean?
The word “albatross” means a large seabird with long narrow wings and a hooked beak, found mainly over the Southern Ocean and North Pacific, famous for gliding vast distances without flapping. In plain terms, either the big oceanic bird, or (more common in everyday speech) a constant burden you can't shake off.
How do you pronounce “albatross”?
“Albatross” is pronounced AL-buh-tros (/ˈæl.bəˌtɹɔs/ in IPA).
How do you use “albatross” in a sentence?
Here is “albatross” used in a sentence: “The albatross soared for hours behind the ship without a single wingbeat.”
What is another word for “albatross”?
Words with a similar meaning to “albatross” include gooney bird, gooney, goonie and mollymawk.
What part of speech is “albatross”?
“Albatross” is a noun.
Where does the word “albatross” come from?
The word “albatross” comes from Latin.
How many meanings does “albatross” have?
“Albatross” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large seabird with long narrow wings and a hooked beak, found mainly over the Southern Ocean and North Pacific, famous for gliding vast distances without flapping.

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Words with Latin origins

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Miller burden goon gooney goonie Millstone mollymawk encumbrance