petrel,
n. [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.].
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. [1913 Webster]
Diving petrel, any bird of the genus Pelecanoides. They chiefly inhabit the southern hemisphere. -- Fulmar petrel, Giant petrel. See Fulmar. -- Pintado petrel, the Cape pigeon. See under Cape. -- Pintado petrel, any one of several small petrels, especially Procellaria pelagica, or Mother Carey's chicken, common on both sides of the Atlantic.