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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

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See Examples For:

killer whale

Killer whales have previously been observed carrying deceased calves, including a case where a female Southern Resident killer whale carried her dead calf for at least 17 days.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

"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

Nevermind that Cope probably never saw a living killer whale.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 29, 2024

He brought out a killer whale in one fist.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

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