guillemot

[ gil-uh-mot ]

noun

1. a black or brown-speckled seabird of the genus Cepphus, of northern seas, having a sharply pointed black bill, red legs, and white wing patches, as C. grylle black guillemot, of the North Atlantic Ocean and the similar C. columba pigeon guillemot of the North Pacific Ocean.
2. British. a murre of the genus Uria.

guillemot

/ ˈɡɪlɪˌmɒt /

noun

1. any northern oceanic diving bird of the genera Uria and Cepphus, having a black-and-white plumage and long narrow bill: family Alcidae (auks, etc), order Charadriiformes

Word History and Origins

Origin of guillemot¹

First recorded in 1670–80; from French, apparently diminutive of Guillaume “William”

Word History and Origins

Origin of guillemot¹

C17: from French, diminutive of Guillaume William

Example Sentences

This bird is very similar to the Black Guillemot except that the under-surfaces of the wings are dark.

From Project Gutenberg

This bird is very similar to the Black Guillemot except that the under surfaces of the wings are dark.

From Project Gutenberg

A crest is never developed at the proximal end, like that seen in the Guillemot and Diver and other water birds.

From Project Gutenberg

The most curious were those of the guillemot, which, though little larger than the puffin, have eggs as large as those of geese.

From Project Gutenberg

And then they got a guillemot which had its nest close by to fly beside them, while they tried to outdistance it by rowing.

From Project Gutenberg