harbor seal

American  

noun

1. a small, spotted seal, Phoca vitulina, of the Atlantic coasts of North America and Europe and the Pacific coast of northern North America.

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Etymology

Origin of harbor seal

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

harbor seal

Pelicans glided over the cresting waves, while a harbor seal watched the surfers for a bit before diving under the surface and disappearing from sight.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2025

Seals in the Salish Sea alone consumed 24 million Chinook according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-led study — almost 90% of all harbor seal predation from Alaska to California.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2023

But since no one had ever seen a wolf kill a harbor seal or sea otter, the researchers began a beach stakeout, setting up both camera traps and literally sitting there with cameras in hand.

From National Geographic ● Nov. 14, 2023

Like human babies, harbor seal pups learn to change their pitch to target a parent's eardrums.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 22, 2023

“Never no turkey. You got a harbor seal there.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson