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killer whale

American

noun

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

killer whale British

noun

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

killer whales

plural

Etymology

Origin of killer whale

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

killer whale

"These two communities of transient killer whale inhabit very different worlds and lead distinctly different lives," said Dr. Trites.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 20, 2025

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

The average lifespan of a male killer whale is about 30 years, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration agency.

From BBC ● Jan. 5, 2025

Nevermind that Cope probably never saw a living killer whale.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 29, 2024

Some of the men were morbidly convinced that a killer whale would crash upward through their dwindling floe, tossing them all into the water and picking them off one by one.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023