petrel

American  

[pe-truhl] / ˈpɛ trəl /

noun

1. any of numerous tube-nosed seabirds of the families Procellariidae, Hydrobatidae, and Pelecanoididae.

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petrel British  

/ ˈpɛtrəl /

noun

1. any oceanic bird of the order Procellariiformes, having a hooked bill and tubular nostrils: includes albatrosses, storm petrels, and shearwaters See also storm petrel

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Etymology

Origin of petrel

1670–80; earlier pitteral, of uncertain origin; perhaps altered by association with St. Peter (who attempted to walk on the water of Lake Gennesareth), alluding to the bird's habit of flying close to the ocean surface

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

petrel

Of those, six species tested positive for the H5N1 strain: the southern elephant seal, king and gentoo penguins, the Antarctic fur seal and the South George diving petrel.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

Red soil and lava rocks dominate the high-altitude landscape, which is also home to endangered and threatened species like the nene, the Hawaiian goose, and the Hawaiian petrel, an endangered seabird.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 7, 2023

The team also resighted a Leach's storm petrel banded there 31 years ago.

From Salon ● Jan. 7, 2022

The organization contends the nonnative, invasive mice, likely introduced by sailing vessels in the 19th century, are messing with the natural environment and threatening the ashy storm petrel, among other seabirds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2021

Overhead, terns and Cape pigeons wheeled, and a giant snow petrel flew on snow-white wings; the birds were a sure sign that open water was near.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong