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killer whale

American  

noun

killer whales plural
  1. any of several predatory dolphins, especially the black-and-white Orcinus orca, found in all seas.


killer whale British  

noun

  1. Also called: killer.   grampus.   orc.  a predatory black-and-white toothed whale, Orcinus orca, with a large erect dorsal fin, most common in cold seas: family Delphinidae

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of killer whale

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

In total, twenty whales - one killer whale and 19 belugas whales - have died at Marineland since 2019, according to the Canadian Press.

From BBC Oct. 11, 2025

Nevermind that Cope probably never saw a living killer whale.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 29, 2024

Tanned hides of elk and deer are stretched onto drums, for example, and animals like the killer whale are revered symbols of the hunt itself.

From Seattle Times Mar. 19, 2024

Three ecotypes of killer whale live along the coasts of California and Oregon: 'residents', 'transients', and 'offshores'.

From Science Daily Mar. 15, 2024

He brought out a killer whale in one fist.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

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