petrel
/ˈpɛt.ɹəl/ noun
Forms petrels
Etymology
From earlier pitteral. Perhaps a diminutive of Peter, with reference to St. Peter's walking on the water (Matthew 14:29).
A derivation from patter or pitter-patter has been suggested, for instance by ornithologist Elliott Ladd Coues.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Any one of numerous species of longwinged sea birds belonging to the family Procellaridæ. The small petrels, or Mother Carey's chickens, belong to Oceanites, Oceanodroma, Procellaria, and several allied genera. Diving petrel, any bird of the genus Pelecanoides.
Etymology [F. pétrel; a dim. of the name Peter, L. Petrus, Gr. John i.42); -- probably so called in allusion to St.Peter's walking on the sea. See Petrify.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “petrel”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details