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Webster 1913 Edition


Walrus

Wal′rus

,
Noun.
[D.
walrus
; of Scand. origin; cf. Dan
valros
, Sw.
vallross
, Norw.
hvalros
; literally, whale horse; akin to Icel.
hrosshvalr
, AS.
horshwael
. See
Whale
, and
Horse
.]
(Zool.)
A very large marine mammal (
Trichecus rosmarus
) of the Seal family, native of the Arctic Ocean. The male has long and powerful tusks descending from the upper jaw. It uses these in procuring food and in fighting. It is hunted for its oil, ivory, and skin. It feeds largely on mollusks. Called also
morse
.
☞ The walrus of the North Pacific and Behring Strait (
Trichecus obesus
) is regarded by some as a distinct species, by others as a variety of the common walrus.

Webster 1828 Edition


Walrus

WALRUS

,
Noun.
[G., a whale, a horse.] The morse or sea horse, an animal of the northern seas, of the genus Trichechus.

Definition 2024


walrus

walrus

English

A walrus

Noun

walrus (plural walruses or walrus or walrusses)

  1. (countable) A large Arctic marine mammal related to seals and having long tusks, tough, wrinkled skin, and four flippers, Odobenus rosmarus.

Synonyms

Usage notes

The hypercorrect plurals walri and walrii, based on a faulty assumption that the word derives from a Latin noun of the second declension, are generally considered to be nonstandard.

Translations

See also


Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈʋɑlrʏs/

Etymology

The origin of this word is uncertain, with several theories proposed. The Old Norse hrossvalr (horse-whale) is thought to have been passed to Dutch in an inverted form as wal (whale; large sea-animal) + ros (horse). The inversion would likely have happened due to the influence of the already existing Dutch compound walvis (whale, lit. whale-fish). An alternate theory is that is comes from wal (shore) + reus (giant).

Noun

walrus m (plural walrussen, diminutive walrusje n)

  1. walrus

See also