orca
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of orca
First recorded in 1650–60; from New Latin, former taxonomic name, from Latin, a kind of whale, perhaps a grampus, from Greek óryga (accusative of óryx ), a kind of large fish, perhaps a narwhal. The g became c under the influence of Latin orca, a kind of large earthenware vessel with a narrow neck; see orc
Explanation
Orcas, also called killer whales, are actually members of the dolphin family. Orcas hunt in cooperative groups called pods and have distinctive black and white coloring. Orcas are familiar animals to many people from popular culture and a time period (most of the 20th century) when it was common to keep them in captivity. For many years, it was possible to visit an aquarium and see orcas perform tricks. Movies like "Free Willy" popularized orcas and also helped build opposition to keeping orcas captive. The name orca comes from the Latin name for their genus. Earlier, mythical sea monsters were commonly called orc.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The props maker said he hopes Orca II will help bring tourism to the area, and even a few Hollywood stars.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
It’s a “digital fog,” says Yarden Gross, chief executive of Orca AI, a British company that designs computerized maritime-navigation systems.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026
The Pentagon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the Orca.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
Stanford co-lead authors with Xu are Teng Cui, now an assistant professor at the University of Waterloo; Geoff McConohy, now a research engineer at Orca Sciences; and current PhD student Samuel S. Lee.
From Science Daily • Jan. 18, 2026
In Orca generally four or five cervical vertebræ are ankylosed as in the cachelots, but in the two species of Orcella only the atlas and axis are joined.
From Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon by Sterndale, Robert Armitage
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
