orca
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of orca
First recorded in 1650–60; from New Latin, former taxonomic name, from Latin, a kind of whale, perhaps a grampus, from Greek óryga (accusative of óryx ), a kind of large fish, perhaps a narwhal. The g became c under the influence of Latin orca, a kind of large earthenware vessel with a narrow neck; see orc
Explanation
Orcas, also called killer whales, are actually members of the dolphin family. Orcas hunt in cooperative groups called pods and have distinctive black and white coloring. Orcas are familiar animals to many people from popular culture and a time period (most of the 20th century) when it was common to keep them in captivity. For many years, it was possible to visit an aquarium and see orcas perform tricks. Movies like "Free Willy" popularized orcas and also helped build opposition to keeping orcas captive. The name orca comes from the Latin name for their genus. Earlier, mythical sea monsters were commonly called orc.
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.
"It just really shows us how intelligent orca are," Rebecca Wellard, a scientist at Western Australia's Curtin University who was not involved in the research, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Breaking the carcass into smaller portions would make it easier for a calf or juvenile to feed, which is consistent with other known orca behaviors.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026
Such fieldwork will be difficult to carry out, since orca hunts are rare and expensive to monitor.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2025
"I spent a second realising I was inside the mouth of something, that maybe it had eaten me, that it could have been an orca or a sea monster," the 23-year-old told BBC Mundo.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2025
Cole spotted the glistening keel-like fins of an orca whale guiding her young calf along the shoreline in search of food.
From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen
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.
