ETYM Corrupt. from Portu. alcatraz cormorant, albatross, or Spanish alcatraz a pelican: cf. Portu. alcatruz, Spanish arcaduz, a bucket, from Arabic al-qâdus the bucket, from Greek kados, a water vessel.
(Irregular plural: albatrosses).
1. Large web-footed birds of the southern hemisphere having long narrow wings; noted for powerful gliding flight.
2. (Figurative) Something that hinders or handicaps; SYN. millstone.
Large seabird, genus Diomedea, with long narrow wings adapted for gliding and a wingspan of up to 3 m/10 ft, mainly found in the southern hemisphere. It belongs to the order Procellariiformes, the same group as petrels and shearwaters.
Albatrosses cover enormous distances, flying as far as 10,000 miles in 33 days, or up to 600 miles in one day. They continue flying even after dark, at speeds of up to 50 mph, though they may stop for an hour’s rest and to feed during the night. They are sometimes called “gooney birds”, probably because of their clumsy way of landing. Albatrosses are becoming increasingly rare, and are in danger of extinction.

(Figurative) Something that hinders or handicaps; SYN. millstone.