Meaning & use
albatross
Last updated
A large seabird with long wings, known for gliding great distances over the ocean.
See it in a sentence
The albatross soared for hours without a single flap of its wings.
Sailors once believed killing an albatross would bring bad luck to the ship.
A note on using this word
Figuratively, 'an albatross around one's neck' means a persistent burden or source of guilt, an image from the poem 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.'
Another way to use it
2. noun
A heavy burden, especially one that continues to trouble someone.
The failed project became an albatross around the manager's neck.
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