/ ˈælbətrɒs; NAmE -trɔːs; -trɑːs/ noun
1.
a very large white bird with long wings that lives in the Pacific and Southern Oceans
2.
[ usually sing. ] ( formal ) a thing that causes problems or prevents you from doing sth
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WORD ORIGIN
late 17th cent.: alteration (influenced by Latin albus white) of 16th-cent. alcatras , applied to various seabirds including the frigate bird and pelican, from Spanish and Portuguese alcatraz , from Arabic al-ġaṭṭās the diver.