albatross
albatross Lexical Profile
albatross Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A very large, web-footed seabird of the family Diomedeidae, possessing extremely long, narrow wings and found primarily gliding over the Southern Ocean and North Pacific.
"The sailors gathered on the deck to watch the massive albatross glide effortlessly above the turbulent ocean waves."
A heavy burden of guilt, debt, or ongoing responsibility that becomes a significant hindrance to success.
"The failed real estate investment became an albatross that drained his finances for years."
Word Nuance & Usage
When used metaphorically to mean a burden or source of guilt, it is almost exclusively found in the idiom 'an albatross around one's neck', an allusion to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'.
Word Origin & Etymology
Late 16th century: derived from the Portuguese 'alcatraz' (meaning 'pelican' or 'seabird'), which itself came from the Arabic 'al-ġaṭṭās' (the diver). The English spelling was later altered by association with the Latin word 'albus', meaning 'white'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.