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giant petrel

American  
[jahy-uhnt pe-truhl] / ˈdʒaɪ ənt ˈpɛ trəl /

noun

  1. either of two large mottled gray or occasionally white petrels of the genus Macronectes, specifically the northern giant petrel and the southern giant petrel, inhabiting islands and coasts of the Southern Ocean and adjacent seas.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I also saw—but beyond aim—a giant petrel; its dimensions were truly astonishing.

From An Antarctic Mystery by Hoey, Frances Cashel

We came across several giant petrel rookeries, and were treated to a display of the "stinker's" ability to make himself objectionable.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

Blake and Hamilton went out early on a photographing excursion, and, later on, the latter shot and skinned a white giant petrel.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

They visited Caroline Cove where is established a giant petrel rookery containing about four hundred birds, and gathered a large number of eggs—purely specimens, as they are no use otherwise.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

In going over to the meteorological screen one morning I saw a giant petrel flapping about in the tussock, gorged to such an extent that it could not rise.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

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