sea lion

American  

noun

• sea lions
  plural

1. any of several large eared seals, as Eumetopias jubatus Steller's sea lion, of the northern Pacific Ocean, and Zalophus californicus California sea lion, of the Pacific coast of North America.

2. Heraldry. a monster having the forepart of a lion, webbed forepaws, and the dorsal fin and tail of a fish.

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sea lion British  

noun

1. any of various large eared seals, such as Zalophus californianus ( Californian sea lion ), of the N Pacific, often used as a performing animal

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sea lions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sea lion

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sea lion

Diving in the sapphire waters around it is the increasingly scarce Australian sea lion.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

The finals day of the World Surf League's New Zealand Pro event was paused after a photographer was attacked in the water by a sea creature that organisers believe was a shark or sea lion.

From BBC ● May 25, 2026

“Chonkers” is a Steller sea lion, which is a heftier variety of the species, compared to his California sea lion counterparts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026

He is a 2,000-pound Steller sea lion who swam up to a dock on Pier 39 a month ago and has decided to stay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

Suddenly the gap disappeared in a swirling, thrashing sea lion storm.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr