krill

American  

[kril] / krɪl /

noun

plural

krill

1. any of the small, pelagic, shrimplike crustaceans of the family Euphausiidae, eaten as food by certain whales.

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krill British  

/ krɪl /

noun

1. any small shrimplike marine crustacean of the order Euphausiacea : the principal food of whalebone whales

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krill Scientific  

/ krĭl /

1. Small crustaceans that float in the ocean in huge numbers and are one of the most important parts of zooplankton. Krill are the main food of baleen whales.

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Etymology

Origin of krill

First recorded in 1905–10, krill is from the Norwegian word kril young fry (of fish)

Example Sentences

The twilight zone teems with life, including krill, squid, fish, octopus, and delicate jelly-like species.

From Science Daily

However, their main food source, krill, is threatened by climate change.

From Barron's

But warming waters as well as commercial harvesting of krill could threaten the future of zooplankton.

From BBC

The target of the new research effort is Antarctic krill, which are just a couple of inches long and one of the most abundant and important animals on the planet.

From BBC

One theory is that climate change is altering the abundance of the tiny shrimplike krill humpback whales feed on, forcing them to travel further in search of food.

From BBC