great white shark

American  

noun

1. a large shark, Carcharodon carcharias, of tropical and temperate seas, known to occasionally attack swimmers.

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Etymology

Origin of great white shark

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

great white shark

This group includes familiar species such as the great white shark, basking shark, and mako shark.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026

In Martha’s Vineyard: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” is uttered by Roy Scheider as Chief Brody in “Jaws” when he sees the great white shark for the first time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026

“In contrast, the great white shark, with a stocky body that becomes even stockier as it grows, can be 'large' but cannot pass 23 feet to be 'gigantic' because of hydrodynamic constraints.”

From Salon ● Mar. 10, 2025

Marks on her body also indicated that she was nibbled on by a great white shark after she died and might have been injured from a previous entanglement with fishing lines, he added.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2025

I sat on a hunk of granite and put the sketch pad on my lap, opening to a drawing of the great white shark, with its pointy teeth and charcoal-black throat.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen