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great white shark
noun
: a large mackerel shark (Carcharodon carcharias) of warm seas that is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age and has been known to attack humans
called also white shark
see shark illustrationExamples of great white shark in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And that struggle is symbolized on the small island town of Amity, where a massive great white shark terrorizes beachgoers.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024
Shark Week 2024 will include Belly of the Beast Pt. 2, the next chapter in Shark Week's fascinating, real-life look at a great white shark feeding frenzy.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024
In Cape Cod, beachgoers are even flying them to spot great white sharks.
—Tom Donilon, Foreign Affairs, 28 Jan. 2022
Share [Findings] An orca acting alone killed a great white shark and ate its liver.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1774, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of great white shark was
in 1774
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Cite this Entry
“Great white shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great%20white%20shark. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
great white shark
noun
: a large and dangerous shark of warm seas that is quick to attack human beings and is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age
Medical Definition
great white shark
noun
: a large shark (Carcharodon carcharias of the family Lamnidae) that is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age and has been known to attack humans
called also white shark
More from Merriam-Webster on great white shark
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about great white shark
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