STORMY PETREL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does stormy petrel mean? 

• STORMY PETREL (noun)
  The noun STORMY PETREL has 1 sense:

1. sooty black petrel with white markings; of the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean

  Familiarity information: STORMY PETREL used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STORMY PETREL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sooty black petrel with white markings; of the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

Hydrobates pelagicus; northern storm petrel; stormy petrel

Hypernyms ("stormy petrel" is a kind of...):

storm petrel (any of various small petrels having dark plumage with paler underparts)

Holonyms ("stormy petrel" is a member of...):

genus Hydrobates; Hydrobates (type genus of the Hydrobatidae)

 Context examples 

I am afraid, my dear Colonel, that you must regret the hour that you took in such a stormy petrel as I am.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“You’ve got something better, I fancy. You are the stormy petrel of crime, Watson. What is it?”

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)