alcatraz
gannet (seabird)
noun al-ka-TRAZ Rare
Origin: from Spanish alcatraz (pelican), of Arabic origin
Also means
Alcatraz (prison island)
Usage Note
Alcatraz in French refers both to the gannet (a large seabird) and, by proper-noun extension, to the famous San Francisco island prison. As a common noun it is quite rare in modern French; fou de Bassan is the far more usual term for the northern gannet. The word entered European languages via Spanish sailors.
Examples
"L'alcatraz plonge en piqué pour attraper des poissons."
Natural Translation
The gannet dives steeply to catch fish.
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