Definition of auk
: any of several black-and-white short-necked diving seabirds of the alcid family that breed in colder parts of the northern hemisphere — compare great auk
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Recent Examples of auk from the Web
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Further back in history, the larger auk species played an important part in colonization and the economy of the Arctic.
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Man has long imperilled beast, as reflected by the extinction of the passenger pigeon, great auk, and Tasmanian tiger.
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Another big bird that's no longer with us is the great auk—a favorite of Bill Rapley, the Toronto Zoo's executive director of conservation.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'auk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Illustration of auk
Origin and Etymology of auk
Norwegian or Icelandic alk, alka, from Old Norse ālka
AUK Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of auk for English Language Learners
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: a black-and-white seabird of northern oceans
AUK Defined for Kids
noun
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ˈȯk
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Definition of auk for Students
: a black-and-white diving seabird of cold parts of the northern hemisphere
Learn More about auk
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See words that rhyme with auk Spanish Central: Translation of auk Nglish: Translation of auk for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about auk
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