Meanings
plural mollymawks · alternative mollemock · alternative mollemoke · alternative molly-mawk · alternative malmock · alternative mallemocke · alternative mallemoke
- A fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis).
- Any of various similar seabirds, now especially an albatross of the genus Thalassarche.
She chatters, mainly to Simon, pointing out a circling mollymawk, a line of shags winging away from Maukiekie, a penguin that surfaces not far from the boat.
1983, Keri Hulme, The Bone People, Penguin, published 1986, page 210
Synonyms & antonyms
nounlarge web-footed birds of the Southern Hemisphere having long narrow wings; noted for powerful gliding flight
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- GermanMallemucke
- Dutchmallemok
- Englishmollymawk
Ultimately from Dutch mallemok (from malle (“foolish”)), probably influenced by German Mallemucke. Compare Japanese 信天翁(あほうどり) (ahōdori, “albatross, foolish bird”).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
mollymawk. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mollymawk
“mollymawk.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mollymawk. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mollymawk,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mollymawk.
Source: mollymawk on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.