killer whale

American  

noun

killer whales plural

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

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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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• killer whales
  plural

Etymology

Origin of killer whale

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

killer whale

The enhanced detail has allowed scientists to “look back through time,” Morin said, and answer questions about which killer whale populations are closely related — or not — and when differences emerged.

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

Only species such as the orca, or killer whale, that live in tightly knit family groups with complex social structures go through the menopause.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2024

But when a killer whale catches and eats a baby seal, I immediately change it back to the Korean variety show.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh