grampus
[ gram-puhs ]
/ ˈgræm pəs /
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noun, plural gram·pus·es.
a cetacean, Grampus griseus, of the dolphin family, widely distributed in northern seas.
any of various related cetaceans, as the killer whale, Orcinus (Orca) orca.
a giant whip scorpion common to Florida.
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Origin of grampus
1520–30; earlier grampoys, variant (by assimilation) of graundepose great fish, equivalent to graundegrand + pose, poys<Middle French pois, peis<Latin pisce- (stem of piscis) fish; replacing Middle English gra(s)peis<Middle French ≪ Latin crassus piscis fat fish
Words nearby grampus
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for grampus
grampus
/ (ˈɡræmpəs) /
noun plural -puses
a widely distributed slaty-grey dolphin, Grampus griseus, with a blunt snout
another name for killer whale
Word Origin for grampus
C16: from Old French graspois, from gras fat (from Latin crassus) + pois fish (from Latin piscis)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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