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
At The Marine Mammal Center, undernourished, sick or injured elephant seal pups usually start trickling in during February, after beachgoers call the center’s hotline and specialists are dispatched to rescue them.
—
Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025
In the mid-19th century, hunters harvested elephant seal oil on the islands, killing off most of their seals before the practice was ended in 1877.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 3 Apr. 2025
Economic activity there essentially ended in 1877, when the trade in elephant seal oil was ended and the human population of sealers left the remote islands, which are located en route from Madagascar to Antarctica.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
The crew initially mistook the shark for an elephant seal, KTLA reported.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elephant seal
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025
In the mid-19th century, hunters harvested elephant seal oil on the islands, killing off most of their seals before the practice was ended in 1877.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 3 Apr. 2025
Economic activity there essentially ended in 1877, when the trade in elephant seal oil was ended and the human population of sealers left the remote islands, which are located en route from Madagascar to Antarctica.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
The crew initially mistook the shark for an elephant seal, KTLA reported.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 23 Mar. 2025
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 30 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share