What does "albatross" mean?
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.
Albatross
/ˈæl.bəˌtɹɒs/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: 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.
- Grammar: albatross is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: gooney, gooney bird, mollymawk, burden.
- Useful contrasts: advantage, asset, benefit.
- Usage evidence: The heartbeat of an albatross slows down while it flies. Some think that it can even sleep.
How to use "albatross"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "albatross" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "albatross" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "albatross" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "albatross" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "albatross" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "gooney" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "albatross", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 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 large web-footed birds of the Southern Hemisphere having long narrow wings; noted for powerful gliding flight wordnet
- 3 Any of various African and Asian pierid butterflies of the genus Appias. Some species of this genus are also known as puffins.
- 4 (figurative) something that hinders or handicaps wordnet
- 5 A double eagle, or three under par on any one hole, except a par 3 hole.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A long-term impediment, burden, or curse. figuratively
"2006 March 13, Richard Lugar, speech to the Brookings Institution, […] energy is the albatross of U.S. national security."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The heartbeat of an albatross slows down while it flies. Some think that it can even sleep."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "albatross"?
Common synonyms include: gooney, gooney bird, mollymawk, burden, double eagle, eagle.
How do you use "albatross" in a sentence?
The heartbeat of an albatross slows down while it flies. Some think that it can even sleep.
How do you pronounce "albatross"?
Pronounced /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɒs/.
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.