little auk

[ lit-l awk ]

noun

1. a small black-and-white auk, Alle alle, of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, having a very short beak and a short, rounded tail: an important winter food source among the Inuit.

Word History and Origins

Origin of little auk¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

They calculated how many days a member of each species could endure without food during a cyclone, and found that little auks in particular could only fast for several days.

From Popular-Science

The guillemots, also, are not so numerous as they were two days ago; but from to-day we date the reappearance of the little auk.

From Project Gutenberg

The gulls increase conspicuously in number, and yesterday we saw a little auk (Mergulus alle) in a lane.

From Project Gutenberg

When far off they uttered cries which reminded me of that of the wryneck, and which I at first thought came from a little auk.

From Project Gutenberg

The little auk is no longer to be seen or heard; the only birds are an ivory-gull now and then, and occasionally a fulmar.

From Project Gutenberg

All the birds seemed to have disappeared to-day; not even a cheery little auk to be seen.

From Project Gutenberg