Albatross

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæl.bəˌtɹɒs/

Definitions

1. A large seabird with long narrow wings that inhabits oceanic regions, or anything that represents a heavy burden or encumbrance one must carry
2. A very large bird found over oceans with wide wings specialized for gliding long distances ; a symbolic or literal burden that causes ongoing distress or responsibility
3. A huge sea bird known for its ability to soar effortlessly across the ocean surface ; something that weighs heavily on a person's conscience or obstructs progress

Etymology: The bird's name may have started life as a word for a pelican's pouch. Spanish or Portuguese "alcatraz" meant pelican, gannet or albatross, and it likely descends from an Arabic term meaning "the diver." Another candidate traces to Portuguese "alcatruz," a water-wheel bucket, from Arabic "al-qadus," which in turn comes from the Greek "kados," a jar or pail. The idea is that the bird's throat pouch looked like a bucket on a well-wheel. Whichever route it took, the word was later reshaped by Latin "albus," meaning white, which suited the bird's pale plumage. The result is a name that appears to have been pulled toward whiteness by folk association rather than by its original sense. The sense of "burden" that the word carries in phrases like "albatross around one's neck" comes from a later, figurative use built on the bird's image, not from its origin.

Synonyms: burden, weight

Antonyms: advantage, asset