alcatraz

Probably from Arabic الْغَطَّاس (al-ḡaṭṭās, “the diver”). Not derived from modern Arabic الْقَطْرَس (al-qaṭras, “the albatross”), which is instead perhaps borrowed from Spanish. Doublet of albatroz, a twice-borrowed term.

Alternative theories include: from alcatruz (“well bucket”), referring to the beak of pelicans; from Andalusian Arabic *qaṭrás (“one who is smug”); from Latin onōcrotalus (“pelican”).

alcatraz m (plural alcatrazes)

1. any of several species of seabird
   1. gannet (seabird of the genus Morus)
   2. pelican (seabird of the family Pelecanidae)

      Synonym: pelicano

   3. albatross (seabird of the family Diomedeidae)

      Synonym: albatroz

2. bonesetter (one who realigns broken or disjointed bones)

• IPA^(key): /alkaˈtɾaθ/ [al.kaˈt̪ɾaθ] (Spain)
• IPA^(key): /alkaˈtɾas/ [al.kaˈt̪ɾas] (Latin America, Philippines)

• Audio (Spain):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aθ (Spain)
• Rhymes: -as (Latin America, Philippines)
• Syllabification: al‧ca‧traz

Borrowed from Arabic الْغَطَّاس (al-ḡaṭṭās, “the diver”).

alcatraz m (plural alcatraces)

1. gannet (bird)

• → Arabic: قَطْرَس (qaṭras, “albatross”)

Borrowed from Arabic الْقِرْطَاس (al-qirṭās, “the papyrus”).

• alcartaz

alcatraz m (plural alcatraces)

1. roll of paper, paper cone, cornet
2. arum (Arum spp.)
3. lily
4. (Mexico) calla lily

• “alcatraz”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024