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
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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 Last year, around 13,000 of a population of 17,000 elephant seal pups died there in just a few months after being exposed. Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2026 The southern elephant seal pup mortality was estimated to be 76% across a population of 17,000 seal pups born on the islands, the program said. Kathleen Magramo, CNN Money, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for elephant seal

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elephant seal was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Elephant seal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elephant%20seal. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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