petrel Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun relatively small long-winged tube-nosed bird that flies far from land

WordNet

Pe"trel noun
Etymology
F. pétrel; a dim. of the name Peter, L. Petrus, Gr. a stone (John i.42); -- probably so called in allusion to St.Peter's walking on the sea. See Petrify.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) 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.

Webster 1913