 2 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
albatross
noun
1: (figurative) something that hinders or handicaps; "she was
an albatross around his neck" [syn: {millstone}]
2: large web-footed birds of the southern hemisphere having
long narrow wings; noted for powerful gliding flight [syn:
{mollymawk}]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Albatross \Al"ba*tross\, noun [Corrupt. fr. Pg. alcatraz
cormorant, albatross, or Sp. alcatraz a pelican: cf. Pg.
alcatruz, Sp. arcaduz, a bucket, fr. Ar. al-q[=a]dus the
bucket, fr. Gr. ka'dos, a water vessel. So an Arabic term for
pelican is water-carrier, as a bird carrying water in its
pouch.] (Zo["o]l.)
A web-footed bird, of the genus {Diomedea}, of which there
are several species. They are the largest of sea birds,
capable of long-continued flight, and are often seen at great
distances from the land. They are found chiefly in the
southern hemisphere.
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