Definition of Petrel

1. Noun. Relatively small long-winged tube-nosed bird that flies far from land.


Definition of Petrel

1. n. Any one of numerous species of longwinged sea birds belonging to the family Procellaridæ. The small petrels, or Mother Carey's chickens, belong to Oceanites, Oceanodroma, Procellaria, and several allied genera.

Definition of Petrel

1. Noun. Any of various species of black, grey, or white seabirds in the order ''Procellariiformes''. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Petrel

1. a small seabird [n -S]

Medical Definition of Petrel

1. Any one of numerous species of longwinged sea birds belonging to the family Procellaridae. The small petrels, or Mother Carey's chickens, belong to Oceanites, Oceanodroma, Procellaria, and several allied genera. Diving petrel, any bird of the genus Pelecanoides. They chiefly inhabit the southern hemisphere. Fulmar petrel, Giant petrel. See Fulmar. Pintado petrel, the Cape pigeon. See Cape. Pintado petrel, any one of several small petrels, especially Procellaria pelagica, or Mother Carey's chicken, common on both sides of the Atlantic. Origin: F. Petrel; a dim. Of the name Peter, L. Petrus, Gr. A stone (John i.42); probably so called in allusion to St.Peter's walking on the sea. See Petrify. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Petrel

petnapings
petnapped
petnapper
petnappers
petnapping
petnaps
petong
petrale
petrale sole
petrales
petralogy
petraries
petrary
petre
petrean
petrel (current term)
petrels
petres
petrescence
petrescent
petrichloral
petrichor
petricolous
petrifact
petrifaction
petrifactions
petrifactive
petrific
petrificate
petrificated

Literary usage of Petrel

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. South Eastern Reporter by West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, West Publishing Company, South Carolina Supreme Court (1922)
"Some time in March, 1919, Fred petrel contracted with Etta Pearl Spears for the ... Before the deed was made to petrel, the plaintiff sold and delivered ..."

2. The Auk: Quarterly Journal of Ornithology by American Ornithologists' Union, Nuttall Ornithological Club (1894)
"AA Ridgway on a New Storm petrel.3—The Storm petrel heretofore known as ... 3 Description of a New Storm petrel from the Coast of Western Mexico. ..."

3. Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Admiralty by John Haggard, Christopher Robinson, John Nicholl, Great Britain High Court of Admiralty (1840)
"On the 27th January 1836, some affidavits, and letters annexed, were exhibited, shewing that on the 24th of August, while the petrel was under arrest, ..."

4. The Birds of America by John James] [Audubon (1844)
"The present species is the largest; that named after WILSON the next in size; and the one called the Stormy petrel the least. Until I had met with the whole ..."

5. South Australia: Its History, Resources, and Productions by William Harcus (1876)
"Grey-backed storm petrel Fregetta ... r Black-backed storm petrel Pelagodroma fregata White-faced storm petrel grallaria White-bellied storm petrel ..."

6. Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern by Charles Dudley Warner (1896)
"THE STORMY petrel A THOUSAND miles from land are we, Tossing about on the roaring sea; From billow to bounding billow cast, Like fleecy snow on the stormy ..."

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