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# auk

noun (an auk, auks)

«auk» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An auk is a black-and-white seabird of the cold northern seas, which dives and «flies» underwater to catch fish; puffins, guillemots and razorbills are kinds of auk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/#m1)
2. The great auk was a big flightless auk, hunted until it became extinct about two hundred years ago. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons auks are an example of birds adapted to the sea, and the great auk is a famous example of extinction caused by people. Auks look a little like penguins but live in the north and most can fly. Seen on cliffs of Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Iceland.

### Examples

- Puffins are a kind of auk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/#x1)
- Auks nest on steep cliffs by the sea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/#x2)
- The great auk could not fly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/#x3)
- People hunted the great auk until none were left. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/#x4)
- Auks use their wings to swim underwater. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/#x5)
- We watched auks diving off the rocks. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/#x6)
- Auks live in the north, penguins in the south. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/#x7)

### Note

Countable: auks. Rhymes with «hawk» (pronounced «awk»). Myth: auks are not penguins, though they look alike; most auks can fly.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «auk» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/auk/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«auk» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/auk.html) on Mova free.