elephant seal

American  

[el-uh-fuhnt seel] / ˈɛl ə fənt ˌsil /

noun

1. either of two large earless seals of the genus Mirounga, specifically M. angustirostris northern elephant seal of the Pacific coast of North America and M. leonina southern elephant seal of the Southern Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean, both species noted for a curved proboscis resembling an elephant's trunk: the largest living carnivorans, weighing up to 11,000 pounds (5,000 kilograms).

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elephant seal British  

noun

1. either of two large earless seals, Mirounga leonina of southern oceans or M. angustirostris of the N Atlantic, the males of which have a long trunklike snout

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Etymology

Origin of elephant seal

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

Scientists at the breeding ground on the Valdes Peninsula along Argentina's coast have determined that 97 percent of elephant seal pups died either from being abandoned or contracting bird flu in 2023.

From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025

A whale-watching tour got the photo opportunity of a lifetime when they spotted a rare white shark feeding from an elephant seal about 30 miles west of Santa Barbara.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2024

The bull elephant seal charged into the ocean after the pup and pushed it to shore with its head, the study said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 4, 2024

A recent paper Uhart co-authored showed a large outbreak killed 70% of elephant seal pups born in the 2023 breeding season.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2024

For a while the only sounds were the scrabbling of their boots over the rocks, their own harsh breathing, and the occasional belch or bellow from an elephant seal.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong