Illustration of narwhal
narwhal
noun
nar·whal
ˈnär-ˌ(h)wäl 
-wəl
variants
or less commonly narwhale
ˈnär-ˌwāl
-ˌ(h)wāl
: an arctic cetacean (Monodon monoceros) that reaches a length of about 16 feet (5 meters) and possesses in the male one or rarely two long, spirally twisted, pointed tusks
Note: Although the narwhal is classified as a toothed whale (suborder Odontoceti), it does not possess any teeth in its mouth.
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The narwhal is a toothed whale found throughout arctic waters. Its Latin binomial, Monodon monoceros, is derived from the Greek words for "single-toothed" and "single-horned." Its English name (also sometimes spelled narwhale) comes from the Norwegian and Danish narvhal and the Swedish narval, words which are probably a modification of the Icelandic nárhvalur, which comes from the Old Norse nāhvalr. In Old Norse hvalr means "whale" and is akin to the Old English hwæl, the ancestor of the Modern English whale. The first element of nāhvalr is believed to be nār, the Old Norse word for "corpse," from the resemblance of the animal's color to that of a human corpse.
Examples of narwhal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This finding suggests that narwhal hunting near the surface is not without challenges.
—
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
There are eight different Nano-mals ranging from kitties to unicorns to narwhals.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 1 Mar. 2025
The video shows narwhals using their tusks to jab and stun the fish, which could indicate how narwhals interact with their prey.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
One of the strangest tusks — the unicorn-horn found on male narwhals — is a massively enlarged left upper canine.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 17 Feb. 2025
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Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
There are eight different Nano-mals ranging from kitties to unicorns to narwhals.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 1 Mar. 2025
The video shows narwhals using their tusks to jab and stun the fish, which could indicate how narwhals interact with their prey.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
One of the strangest tusks — the unicorn-horn found on male narwhals — is a massively enlarged left upper canine.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for narwhal
Cite this Entry
“Narwhal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/narwhal. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
narwhal
noun
nar·whal
ˈnär-ˌwäl
-ˌhwäl,
-wəl
: an arctic sea mammal that is about 20 feet (six meters) long, is related to the dolphins and whales and in the male has a long twisted ivory tusk
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