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 illustration

Examples of great white shark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From Florida alligators and Oregon black bears to a Massachusetts great white shark, 2024 proved to be a big year for ferocious animal moments caught on camera. —Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024

Located off the coast of South Australia, the Neptune Islands are a renowned marine sanctuary famous for their thriving population of great white sharks. —Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

On Tuesday, the Orleans Police Department in Massachusetts received an unusual piece of news: A great white shark had mysteriously washed ashore in Cape Cod. —Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Oct. 2024

There's only one problem, a giant great white shark lurking and ready to chomp on unsuspecting beachgoers. —Joyce Orlando, The Tennessean, 3 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

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