Dictionary

albatross en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɑs/ (cot-caught-merger)
• /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɔs/ (General-American)
• /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɒs/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Uncertain. Probably from Spanish or Portuguese alcatraz (“pelican, gannet, albatross”), probably derived from Arabic الْغَطَّاس (al-ḡaṭṭās, “the diver”) (compare Alcatraz); or from Portuguese alcatruz (“water wheel bucket”), from Arabic الْقَادُوس (al-qādūs), from Ancient Greek κάδος (kádos, “pail, jar”), in reference to the pouch of a pelican. In either case, altered under the influence of Latin albus (“white”). Not derived from modern Arabic قَطْرَس (qaṭras, “albatross”), which is perhaps borrowed from Spanish. For sense development of "burden", see albatross around one’s neck.

Meanings

1. Any of various large seabirds of the family Diomedeidae ranging widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific and having a hooked beak and long narrow wings.
2. Any of various African and Asian pierid butterflies of the genus Appias. Some species of this genus are also known as puffins.
3. A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole, except a par 3 hole.
4. (figuratively) A long-term impediment, burden, or curse.
   • Project 2025 could be an albatross for Trump 2024 August 9, Tia Yang, Nathaniel Rakich, Mary Radcliffe, Cooper Burton, “Americans don't like Project 2025”, in ABC News, archived from the original on 10 Aug 2024:
   • 2006 March 13, Richard Lugar, speech to the Brookings Institution, […] energy is the albatross of U.S. national security.

Forms

Coordinates

condor · birdie · eagle · buzzard · par · ostrich · bogey

Deriveds

wandering albatross · great albatross · royal albatross · Campbell albatross · albatross around one's neck · black-browed albatross · Laysan albatross · Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross · snowy albatross · sooty albatross

Synonyms

albatross around one's neck · gooney · goonie · gooney bird · mollymawk

Translations (77)

ain オンネトリ (seabird) · cy albatros (seabird) · to katafa (seabird) · bg албатрос (seabird) · ru альбатро́с (seabird) · bg затруднение (long-term impediment) · mt albatros (seabird) · cmn 信天翁 (seabird) · sh албатрос (seabird) · tl albatros (seabird) · fi heikkous (long-term impediment) · fr albatros (seabird) · da albatros (seabird) · el άλμπατρος (three under par) · nl albatros (three under par) · ar قَطْرَس (seabird) · it albatros (seabird) · uk альбатро́с (seabird) · sh бурница (seabird) · is stormfugl (seabird) · ms albatros (seabird) · sh burnica (seabird) · no albatross (seabird) · el άλμπατρος (seabird) · es albatros (seabird) · ro albatros (seabird) · ga albatras (seabird) · gl albatros (seabird) · tr albatros (seabird) · pt albatroz (seabird) · ceb albatros (seabird) · sh albatros (seabird) · ga bró mhuilinn (long-term impediment) · sv albatross (seabird) · ja アホウドリ (seabird) · fi rasite (long-term impediment) · sv albatross (three under par) · pl kamień u szyi (long-term impediment) · nl albatros (seabird) · hy ալբատրոս (seabird) · nv tónteel tsídiitsoh (seabird) · hu albatrosz (seabird) · crh furtuna quşu (seabird) · ja アルバトロス (three under par) · vi hải âu mày đen (seabird) · is súlukóngur (seabird) · et albatross (seabird) · ko 알바트로스 (seabird) · pl albatros (three under par) · la diomedea (seabird) · hi महासामुद्र (seabird) · esu yaarcaq (seabird) · pl kula u nogi (long-term impediment) · pl albatros (seabird) · it albatro (seabird) · mi toroa (seabird) · da albatros (three under par) · ain オㇱカㇺペ (seabird) · nb albatross (seabird) · ko 신천옹 (seabird) · de Albatros (seabird) · ca albatros (seabird) · cy gwas y weilgi (seabird) · ja 信天翁 (seabird) · ca albatros (three under par) · fo súlukongur (seabird) · cs albatros (seabird) · fi albatrossi (seabird) · mt albatrosa (seabird) · id albatros (seabird) · eo albatroso (seabird) · fi albatrossi (three under par) · ckt ӄаӄытъэӄ (seabird) · ja 沖の太夫 (seabird) · sl albatros (seabird) · ckt ӄаӄытъэӄыт (seabird) · de Albatros (three under par)