Adjacent Words

narwhal definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: small Arctic whale the male having a long spiral ivory tusk [syn: narwhal, narwal, narwhale, Monodon monoceros]

Merriam Webster's

also narwhale noun Etymology: Norwegian & Danish narhval & Swedish narval, probably modification of Icelandic nárhvalur, from Old Norse n?hvalr, from n?r corpse + hvalr whale; from its color Date: 1646 an arctic cetacean (Monodon monoceros) about 20 feet (6 meters) long with the male having a long twisted ivory tusk

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. an Arctic white whale, Monodon monoceros, the male of which has a long straight spirally fluted tusk developed from one of its teeth. Also called BELUGA. Etymology: Du. narwal f. Da. narhval f. hval whale: cf. ON náhvalr (perh. f. nár corpse, with ref. to its skin-colour)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Narwhal Nar"whal, n. [Sw. or Dan. narvhal; akin to Icel. n[=a]hvalr, and E. whale. the first syllable is perh. from Icel. n[=a]r corpse, dead body, in allusion to the whitish color its skin. See Whale.] [Written also narwhale.] (Zo["o]l.) An arctic cetacean (Monodon monocerous), about twenty feet long. The male usually has one long, twisted, pointed canine tooth, or tusk projecting forward from the upper jaw like a horn, whence it is called also sea unicorn, unicorn fish, and unicorn whale. Sometimes two horns are developed, side by side.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. [Written also Narwhale, Narwal, and Narval.] Sea-unicorn, unicorn-fish, unicorn-whale (Monodon monoceros).