Razorbill
/ˈreɪ.zər.bɪl/noun
A black-and-white North Atlantic seabird with a thick, vertically flattened bill marked by white lines.
Did you know?The razorbill’s scientific name, Alca torda, comes from Latin and Swedish-rooted naming traditions, while its English name simply compares its bill’s profile to a razor.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*redh-
“To scrape, scratch, or rub away; the distant root behind the razor family.”
Classical Latin
Latin
radere
“To scrape, shave, or remove by rubbing.”
12th–13th Century
Old French
raser
“To scrape or shave closely; the source of English razor.”
14th Century
English
rasour
“A shaving instrument or razor.”
Old English
Old English
bile
“A bird’s beak; later evolving into modern English bill.”
17th Century
English
razorbill
“A compound name for the seabird, referring to the blade-like appearance of its bill.”
Modern English
English
razorbill
“The established common name of Alca torda, a North Atlantic auk.”