elephant seal
noun
: either of two very large seals (genus Mirounga of the family Phocidae) characterized by a long inflatable proboscis:
a
: one (M. angustirostris) found in Pacific coastal waters from southeastern Alaska to Baja California
b
: one (M. leonina) found in coastal waters of subantarctic islands and Patagonia
Examples of elephant seal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sub-Antarctic islands south of Tasmania are home to breeding populations of elephant seals and Neil’s mother would have arrived from one of them to give birth, Volzke said.
—
ABC News,
3 July 2026
Northern elephant seals, relatives of Neil, are a bit smaller than their southern counterparts, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries.
—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
Stop to see the elephant seals in San Simeon.
—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
23 June 2026
In any number of species—elephant seals, red deer, rattlesnakes—the privilege of mating is settled by a fight.
—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for elephant seal
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ABC News,
3 July 2026
Northern elephant seals, relatives of Neil, are a bit smaller than their southern counterparts, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries.
—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
Stop to see the elephant seals in San Simeon.
—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
23 June 2026
In any number of species—elephant seals, red deer, rattlesnakes—the privilege of mating is settled by a fight.
—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for elephant seal
Cite this Entry
“Elephant seal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elephant%20seal. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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