kraken

American  

[krah-kuhn] / ˈkrɑ kən /

noun

(often initial capital letter)

1. a legendary sea monster causing large whirlpools off the coast of Norway.

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kraken British  

/ ˈkrɑːkən /

noun

1. a legendary sea monster of gigantic size believed to dwell off the coast of Norway

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Usage

Why is kraken trending? On July 23, 2020, searches for kraken increased 4,782% compared to the previous week after the National Hockey League (NHL) announced its newest team in Seattle, Washington, will be known as the Kraken.

Etymology

Origin of kraken

From Norwegian

Example Sentences

The government has taken stakes in startups like Kraken, Wayve and Oxford Quantum Circuits in recent weeks, in a bid to prevent them from moving out of the country to look for funding.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

Elsewhere Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi said Tuesday that the cryptocurrency exchange had filed for an initial public offering late last year.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

Seattle hosts teams in three of the four major leagues - reigning NFL Super Bowl champions the Seahawks, MLB's the Mariners and the NHL's Kraken.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Earlier this month, a state-chartered bank run by crypto exchange Kraken became the first crypto firm to win access to the Fed’s payment system, raising an outcry from banking groups.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

Of that lean and terrible red ship he saw no sign, but his father's Great Kraken was there, her bow ornamented with a grey iron ram in the shape of its namesake.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin