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Definition of shearwater

shearwater

/ˈʃɪərˌwɔːtər/
shear · wa · ter
Plural:shearwaters
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shearwater Lexical Profile

shearwater Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any of various medium-sized, long-winged pelagic seabirds of the family Procellariidae, typically found over open oceans and known for their flight pattern of gliding very close to the water's surface.

Example

"During our boat tour off the coast of New Zealand, we watched a flock of sooty shearwaters dive into the ocean swells to hunt for small fish."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for shearwater

• Rhymes for shearwater

• Nearby Words

shearing
shearling
shears
shearwater
sheatfish
sheath
sheathbill

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in the 17th century as a compound of 'shear' and 'water', derived from the bird's characteristic flight pattern of gliding extremely close to the surface of the ocean, appearing to shear or skim the waves.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Shearwater. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/shearwater
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