- storm petrel
- noun Date: circa 1833 any of various widespread small dark petrels (family Hydrobatidae) that typically return to land only to nest usually in burrows — called also Mother Carey's chicken
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
storm petrel
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Storm petrel — Storm Storm, n. [AS. storm; akin to D. storm, G. sturm, Icel. stormr; and perhaps to Gr. ? assault, onset, Skr. s? to flow, to hasten, or perhaps to L. sternere to strew, prostrate (cf. {Stratum}). [root]166.] 1. A violent disturbance of the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
storm petrel — ► NOUN ▪ a small petrel with blackish plumage, formerly believed to be a sign of bad weather to come … English terms dictionary
storm petrel — n. any of a family (Hydrobatidae) of petrels; esp., a black and white species (Hydrobates pelagicus) of the N Atlantic and the Mediterranean … English World dictionary
Storm-petrel — Taxobox name = Storm petrels image width = 250px image caption = Wilson s Storm Petrel regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Procellariiformes familia = Hydrobatidae familia authority = Mathews, 1912 subdivision ranks = Genera … Wikipedia
storm petrel — any of several small, tube nosed seabirds of the family Hydrobatidae, usually having black or sooty brown plumage with a white rump. Also, storm petrel. Cf. stormy petrel. [1795 1805] * * * Any of about 20 species (family Hydrobatidae) of petrels … Universalium
storm petrel — noun any of various small petrels having dark plumage with paler underparts • Hypernyms: ↑petrel • Hyponyms: ↑stormy petrel, ↑northern storm petrel, ↑Hydrobates pelagicus, ↑Mother Carey s chicken, ↑Mother Carey s hen, ↑ … Useful english dictionary
storm petrel — noun Any of several small seabirds, of the family Hydrobatidae, having dark plumage and a white rump. Syn: Mother Careys chicken, storm petrel, stormy petrel … Wiktionary
storm petrel — storm′ pet rel or storm′ pet rel n. orn any of several small, tube nosed seabirds of the family Hydrobatidae, usu. having black or sooty brown plumage with a white rump • Etymology: 1795–1805 … From formal English to slang
storm petrel — small petrel with blackish feathers (in the past was believed to announce the approaching bad weather) … English contemporary dictionary
storm petrel — noun a small petrel with blackish plumage, formerly believed to be a harbinger of bad weather. [Hydrobates pelagicus (NE Atlantic and Mediterranean) and other species.] … English new terms dictionary
storm-petrel — /ˈstɔm pɛtrəl / (say stawm petruhl) noun any of various small dark seabirds of the subfamily Hydrobatinae. Also, stormy petrel …