guillemot

IPA/ˈɡɪlɪmɒt/
IPA/ˈɡɪlɪmɑːt/

guillemot — noun

  • guillemotsingular
  • guillemotsplural

1. a sea bird with a black back and head, a white belly, and a long thin beak, foun

1.nounB1
Definition

a sea bird with a black back and head, a white belly, and a long thin beak, found on cold northern coastlines and known for nesting on steep cliffs in huge groups

Example

A group of guillemots stood on the narrow cliff ledge, their white chests facing the sea.

collocation: narrow cliff ledge / steep cliff

During the boat trip along the Norwegian coast, Priya spotted dozens of guillemots diving for fish in the icy water.

habitat: cold northern coastlines

Common collocations
  • guillemot colony
  • guillemot chick
  • nesting guillemot
  • guillemot population
Synonyms
  • common murre

    North American name for the same bird; 'guillemot' is more common in British English

  • Uria aalge

    scientific species name, not used in everyday speech

2. any of several small seabirds of northern oceans that have dark brown or black f

2.nounB2
Definition

any of several small seabirds of northern oceans that have dark brown or black feathers with small pale patches on the wings and a short tail

Example

During the Arctic summer, the black guillemot turns mostly white on its wing patches, making it easier to see against the dark water.

distinctive feature: white wing patches

The researchers counted over two hundred guillemots of the Cepphus genus nesting in cracks along the fjord cliffs.

scientific context: Cepphus genus

Common collocations
  • black guillemot
  • Cepphus guillemot
  • pigeon guillemot
Synonyms
  • Cepphus guillemot

    technical ornithological term that specifies the genus

  • tystie

    Scottish dialect name for the black guillemot; rarely used outside the UK

Usage Note

Birds of the Cepphus genus are noticeably smaller than the common guillemot (sense 1). The term is most often encountered in birdwatching guides and scientific writing.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Guillemot, murre, auk, razorbill, and puffin are all seabirds in the alcid (auk) family, but they differ in appearance and region. 'Guillemot' and 'murre' refer to the same bird (Uria aalge) — 'guillemot' is the British term, while 'murre' is common in North America. 'Auk' is the broad family name that includes all of these birds. 'Razorbill' looks similar to the guillemot but has a thicker, blunt beak with a white stripe. 'Puffin' is easily told apart by its brightly coloured triangular beak. In casual conversation, a UK birdwatcher might say 'I spotted a guillemot on the cliff,' while a Canadian birder would call the same bird a 'common murre.'

guillemot ↗murreauk ↗razorbillpuffin ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • guillemot colony
  • guillemot population
  • guillemot chick

Phrases

  • nesting guillemot
  • breeding guillemot

Prepositions

  • guillemot on [cliff/ledge]
  • guillemot of [region/coast]

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'guillemot' comes from French 'guillemot', which was probably formed from the name 'Guillaume' (William) — a playful way to refer to the bird, similar to how 'jackdaw' uses a man's name. The scientific name of the common guillemot is Uria aalge.