walrus

noun

wal·​rus ˈwȯl-rəs How to pronounce walrus (audio)
ˈwäl-
plural walrus or walruses
: a large gregarious marine mammal (Odobenus rosmarus of the family Odobenidae) of arctic waters related to the seals that has limbs modified into webbed flippers, long ivory tusks, a tough wrinkled hide, stiff whiskers, and a thick layer of blubber

Note: The male walrus may reach a weight of over 3700 pounds (1678 kilograms). Walrus typically inhabit moving pack ice and usually feed on organisms (such as clams and mussels) living on or near the ocean's bottom. Walrus of the northern Atlantic are considered a separate subspecies (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) from the somewhat larger northern Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens).

Examples of walrus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web All of them, which have included a whale, walrus, shark, turtle, octopus, fish and lobster, have been creatures of the sea. Staff Report, Twin Cities, 20 Jan. 2024 Meanwhile, polar bears and brown bears dominate the land — taking down seals and walruses on the one hand and moose and deer on the other — topping the list of large land predators alive on our planet. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023 The walrus — one of just 10 that the center has cared for in its 25-year history — is already taking formula from a bottle, the center said. Becky Bohrer, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Aug. 2023 Officials said the area where the nearly 140-pound calf was found was unusual, as Pacific walruses are typically found in the ocean or along the western coastline. Michelle Watson, CNN, 12 Aug. 2023 Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center via AP The walrus, which weighed around 140 pounds, was the first walrus patient the Alaska SeaLife Center had treated in four years. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2023 George — tanned, solid and rugged as a walrus — recently completed his doctorate at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Ned Rozell | Alaska Science, Anchorage Daily News, 15 July 2023 Sedna’s appendages turn into ocean mammals: whales, walruses, and seals. Jennifer Berney, Outside Online, 7 Apr. 2023 Finding an orphaned walrus pup is very rare, Carrie Goertz, a veterinarian who is director of animal health at the center, told The Washington Post last week. Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'walrus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Dutch, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish & Norwegian hvalros walrus, Old Norse rosmhvalr

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of walrus was in 1728

Dictionary Entries Near walrus

Cite this Entry

“Walrus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/walrus. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

walrus

noun
wal·​rus ˈwȯl-rəs How to pronounce walrus (audio)
ˈwäl-
plural walrus or walruses
: a large mammal of cold northern seas that is related to the seals and has long ivory tusks, a tough wrinkled hide with a thick layer of blubber below, stiff whiskers, and flippers used in swimming, diving, and moving about on land

More from Merriam-Webster on walrus

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!