narwhal
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of narwhal
First recorded in 1650–60; from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian, Swedish, Danish nar(h)val, reshaped from Old Norse nāhvalr, equivalent to nār “corpse” + hvalr whale 1; allegedly so called because its skin resembles that of a human corpse
Explanation
A narwhal is like the unicorn of whales, with a long pointy tusk sticking out of its head. And, like unicorns, you probably won't spot one (unless you are traveling the Arctic waters near Greenland). Only male narwhals have a distinctive ivory tusk, which is actually a long, protruding canine tooth. It's a medium-sized whale, related to the beluga, and it's able to dive underwater for up to 25 minutes at a time. Narwhal comes from the Danish narhval, with the Old Norse root nahvalr literally meaning "corpse whale," for the narwhal's pale white color, thought to resemble the shade of a dead body.
Vocabulary lists containing narwhal
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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.
An extended version of the ad also features a talking narwhal.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 7, 2024
It is also home to wildlife such as polar bears, muskoxen and the elusive narwhal.
From BBC • Sep. 14, 2023
Natural history museums got their start in the 1400s as cabinets of wonders in which aristocrats kept precious oddities like narwhal skulls or glittering crystals.
From New York Times • Mar. 23, 2023
In the end they also discuss hearing about a sea creature, perhaps a narwhal.
From Salon • Feb. 21, 2022
When I look over, she’s hugging her stuffed narwhal, looking all of a sudden like a deflated balloon.
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
