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Auk

(Science: ornithology) a name given to various species of arctic sea birds of the family Alcidae. The great auk, now extinct, is Alca (or Plautus) impennis. The razor-billed auk is a. Torda. See puffin, guillemot, and murre.

Origin: Prov. E. Alk; akin to dan. Alke, Icel. & Sw. Alka.