grampus

noun

gram·pus ˈgram-pəs

: risso's dolphin

: any of various other small cetaceans (such as the killer whale or pilot whale)

: the giant whip scorpion (Mastigoproctus giganteus) of the southern U.S.

Examples of grampus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The killer whales are called aaxlu, tukxukuak, agliuk, mesungesak, polossatik, skana, keet, feared one, grampus, blackfish, orca, big-fin, fat-chopper. Whale killer. —

Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Nov. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grampus.' 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

alteration of Middle English graspey, grapay, from Anglo-French graspeis, from gras fat (from Latin crassus) + peis fish, from Latin piscis — more at crass, fish

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler

The first known use of grampus was circa 1529

See more words from the same year