killer whale

noun

: a relatively small toothed whale (Orcinus orca of the family Delphinidae) that is black above with white underparts and white oval-shaped patches behind the eyes, attains a length of 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters), typically hunts in groups, and preys chiefly on sea mammals (such as seals, sea lions, and other whales), large fish, and squid

called also orca

Examples of killer whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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They were taken safely to shore by the Spanish coastguard after the killer whales attacked their boat's rudder around two miles from the town of Deba, near Bilbao, according to several local media reports. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025 Though euthanasia is considered a last resort, every other attempt to help the false killer whales has been unsuccessful, said marine biologist and deputy incident controller Kris Carlyon in the same statement. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025 And in the distance, between the boat and the mountains, there's a killer whale surfacing, swimming toward the fishing boat. Ari Daniel, NPR, 11 June 2025 Read Next World 7 false killer whales are stranded on ‘remote’ beach — then help arrives. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for killer whale

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of killer whale was in 1884

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Cite this Entry

“Killer whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/killer%20whale. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

killer whale

noun
kill·​er whale
ˈkil-ər-
: a flesh-eating mostly black toothed whale 20 to 30 feet (about 6 to 9 meters) long that travels in groups

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