What does auklet mean?
An auklet is any of several small seabirds belonging to the auk family, Alcidae — the same group that includes puffins, guillemots, and razorbills. Auks are compact, black-and-white diving birds that use their wings to 'fly' underwater in pursuit of fish and crustaceans, and the auklets are among the smallest members of this family. Most auklet species breed in dense colonies on remote islands across the Bering Sea and the North Pacific, laying a single egg in crevices or burrows among coastal rocks. Several species, such as the crested auklet, grow distinctive facial plumes during the breeding season, and some are notable for the strong citrus-like scent they carry. Because these birds spend most of their lives at sea and nest only on inaccessible cliffs and islands, they are studied chiefly by ornithologists and encountered by birdwatchers on specialized expeditions. The word appears mainly in scientific and natural-history writing.
nounA small seabird of the auk family (Alcidae), found in the North Pacific and North Atlantic, typically with dark plumage and, in several species, a head plume during breeding season.
- A small seabird of the family Alcidae, especially one of the genera Aethia or Cerorhinca of the North Pacific.
"The least auklet nests in vast colonies among the rocky scree of Alaskan islands."
"Thousands of auklets swirled above the cliff colony at dusk before settling into their burrows."
"Researchers banded crested auklet chicks to track their return to the island in later years."
Regular plural; used both for multiple individuals and collectively when referring to mixed groups of auklet species.
"The island hosts over a million breeding auklets each summer."
The rhinoceros auklet isn't named for its looks alone — it grows a hornlike bill plate each breeding season that it then sheds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of auklet
The word 'auklet' is formed from 'auk', the name of the northern seabird family, combined with the diminutive suffix '-let', indicating a smaller relative. 'Auk' itself entered English in the seventeenth century from Norwegian 'alke', which derives from Old Norse 'álka'. The word thus has Scandinavian roots, fitting for a bird confined to northern seas.
How auklet is actually used
Primarily used in ornithological and natural-history contexts rather than everyday speech. The term covers several distinct species, which are usually specified by name (e.g., least auklet, crested auklet).
Easily confused with auklet
An 'aunt' is a female relative, while an 'auklet' is a small seabird; they share little beyond a superficially similar opening sound in some accents.