giant petrel

giant petrel
    n 1: large brownish petrel chiefly of Antarctic seas [syn:
         {giant petrel}, {giant fulmar}, {Macronectes giganteus}]
    

Petrel \Pe"trel\, n. [F. p['e]trel; a dim. of the name Peter, L.
   Petrus, Gr. pe`tros a stone (--John i. 42); -- probably so
   called in allusion to St. Peter's walking on the sea. See
   {Petrify}.] (Zool.)
   Any one of numerous species of longwinged sea birds belonging
   to the family {Procellarid[ae]}. The small petrels, or Mother
   Carey's chickens, belong to {{Oceanites}}, {{Oceanodroma}},
   {{Procellaria}}, and several allied genera.
   [1913 Webster]

   {Diving petrel}, any bird of the genus {Pelecanoides}. They
      chiefly inhabit the southern hemisphere.

   {Fulmar petrel}, {Giant petrel}. See {Fulmar}.

   {Pintado petrel}, the Cape pigeon. See under {Cape}.

   {Pintado petrel}, any one of several small petrels,
      especially {Procellaria pelagica}, or Mother Carey's
      chicken, common on both sides of the Atlantic.
      [1913 Webster]