dovekie

or dove·key

[ duhv-kee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

dovekie

/ ˈdʌvkɪ /

Origin of dovekie¹

First recorded in 1815–25; dove ¹ + -kie, compound suffix perhaps shortened from -ock + -ie

Origin of dovekie¹

C19: Scottish diminutive of dove ¹

The dovekie, or black guillemot (Uria grylle), breeds in great numbers in the Orkney islands.

A dovekie, in its white winter plumage, and two seals have been seen lately.

This little bird belongs to the family of auks and puffins, the guillemots and the dovekie.

One distressed dovekie was picked up, but failed to survive.

The Dovekie is sometimes called a little auk to distinguish it from the larger species of the family.

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