elephant seal

noun

: either of two very large seals (genus Mirounga of the family Phocidae) characterized by a long inflatable proboscis:
a
: one (M. angustirostris) found in Pacific coastal waters from southeastern Alaska to Baja California
b
: one (M. leonina) found in coastal waters of subantarctic islands and Patagonia

Examples of elephant seal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Once swallowing well, the elephant seal patients are ready to start feeding in the pool. Tara Ellison, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2024 The leopard seal, sometimes referred to as a sea leopard, is the second-largest species of seal in the Antarctic, behind the southern elephant seal. Samuel Sanders, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024 For backpackers, that engineering abdication has been a boon, leading to a 25-mile span of undeveloped beachfront where black bears roam, elephant seals cavort, and tides lash against cliffs and coves with might. Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 9 Sep. 2024 Around 17,400 elephant seal pups died from bird flu in Argentina in 2023, and at least 24,000 sea lions died in South America the same year. Arianna Johnson, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for elephant seal 

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

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elephant seal was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near elephant seal

Cite this Entry

“Elephant seal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elephant%20seal. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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