killer whale
nounDefinition of killer whale
: a relatively small toothed whale (Orcinus orca of the family Delphinidae) that is black above with white underparts and white oval-shaped patches behind the eyes, attains a length of 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters), typically hunts in groups, and preys chiefly on sea mammals (such as seals, sea lions, and other whales), large fish, and squid
— called also orca
Examples of killer whale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Narwhals, for example, hide under the sea ice to seek refuge from killer whales. — Christian Åslund, National Geographic, "Melting ice may be a boon for some Arctic whales—then a bust," 2 July 2019 The petition sought to bar vessels from a 10- to 12-square-mile (26- to 31-square-kilometer) area west of San Juan Island where the orcas, called southern resident killer whales, feed from April through September each year. — Washington Post, "New lawsuit seeks protection zone for Northwest orcas," 19 Aug. 2019 Just two species have not—southern resident killer whales, and Hawaiian monk seals. — Justin Rohrlich, Quartz, "The US is seeking someone to broker peace between humans and seals," 7 Aug. 2019 Before a Future Supreme Court Justice In 2010, a killer whale attacked and killed a SeaWorld trainer named Dawn Brancheau. — Noam Scheiber, New York Times, "Trump’s Labor Pick Has Defended Corporations, and One Killer Whale," 19 July 2019 Great whites have been seen abandoning this prime feeding area when killer whales come too close for comfort—even if the mammals are simply passing through for a few hours. — Jason G. Goldman, Scientific American, "Orcas May Turn Great White Sharks into Scaredy Cats," 8 July 2019 The car was soon joined by a helicopter, a killer whale, an aircraft carrier, Jose Canseco, and the X-Men. — Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, "How Posters Became Art," 1 July 2019 SeaWorld withdraws plan to significantly enlarge killer whale tanks at its three marine parks. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "SeaWorld: a decade of turbulence and triumphs," 22 June 2019 Several killer whales can binge on a single gray whale calf for days, Black said. — Mariel Padilla, BostonGlobe.com, "Pod of killer whales makes rare visit to Monterey Bay," 22 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'killer whale.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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