1 great auk | Definition of great auk
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great auk

noun

Definition of great auk

: an extinct large flightless auk (Pinguinus impennis) formerly abundant along North Atlantic coasts

Examples of great auk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Like the dodo and the great auk, the tiger found a curious immortality as a global icon of extinction, more renowned for the tragedy of its death than for its life, about which little is known. — Brooke Jarvis, The New Yorker, "The Obsessive Search for the Tasmanian Tiger," 16 Jan. 2012

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'great auk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of great auk

1768, in the meaning defined above

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More from Merriam-Webster on great auk

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about great auk

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