great auk

noun

: 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

Following a paper trail including auction brochures, receipts, newspaper clippings and personal correspondences, researchers traced the long journey of the last female great auk. — Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2025

After it was verified using DNA sequencing that the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels had the last male great auk, researchers tested the Cincinnati specimen. — Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2025

The great auk of the North Atlantic, the moa of New Zealand, the elephant bird of Madagascar, and the Réunion ibis of Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean all perished shortly after the humans entered the picture. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025

Of all the grim capitalist crimes against American animals (and there is competition), among them are the 1840s extinction of our northern hemisphere penguin, the great auk, and an 1886 sale in London of the skins of 400,000 American hummingbirds. — Dan Flores, Time, 29 May 2025

The great auk was a valuable commodity for hunters who sought the bird’s feathers for down or use in fashion, particularly in the production of fancy hats and other garments. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025

By the mid-1800s, the great auk was no longer found in the wild. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025

The great auk’s extinction was primarily driven by hunting for its meat, eggs and feathers, as well as the collection of its down for use in bedding and clothing. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for great auk

• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock
• boardwalk
• catwalk
• cornstalk
• crosswalk
• deadlock
• feedstock
• fetlock
• flintlock
• goshawk

Kids Definition

great auk

noun

: an extinct large auk that was unable to fly and was formerly common along North Atlantic coasts