Auk
/ɔːk/noun
A seabird of the family Alcidae, including puffins, guillemots, and the extinct great auk.
Did you know?The great auk, a flightless North Atlantic auk, was driven extinct by 1844, yet its short name survives in modern English.
Etymological Timeline
Prehistoric / Uncertain
Unknown
*alka
“A possible ancient bird-name root; the ultimate origin is uncertain.”
Medieval Period
Old Norse
álka
“A seabird, probably an auk or related alcid.”
16th–17th Century
Dutch
alk
“An auk or similar northern seabird.”
17th Century
Scots
auk
“A northern seabird, especially the great auk.”
Modern English
English
auk
“Any seabird of the family Alcidae.”