plural walrus or walruses
: a large gregarious marine mammal (Odobenus rosmarus of the family Odobenidae) of arctic waters related to the seals that has limbs modified into webbed flippers, long ivory tusks, a tough wrinkled hide, stiff whiskers, and a thick layer of blubber
Note: The male walrus may reach a weight of over 3700 pounds (1678 kilograms). Walrus typically inhabit moving pack ice and usually feed on organisms (such as clams and mussels) living on or near the ocean's bottom. Walrus of the northern Atlantic are considered a separate subspecies (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) from the somewhat larger northern Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens).
Examples of walrus in a Sentence
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This includes lions and tigers and bears (oh my), baby elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees, pythons, alligators, kangaroos, dolphins and 3,000-pound walruses.
—
Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 10 July 2025
Beyond the meal, the exclusive Canada High Arctic journey winds through the icy channels of the Northwest Passage, with stops in vibrant Inuit villages, Zodiac cruises past towering glaciers, and encounters with wildlife such as whales and walruses.
—Renée Morrison, AFAR Media, 5 June 2025
This allows walruses to maintain critical body temperatures even when temperatures plunge well below freezing.
4.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
In recent years, however, more and more ivory has turned up from marine mammals (including whales, walruses, and seals), meaning that the discovery of the sperm whale tooth was a special one, providing new insights into the Valencina community’s connection to the sea.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2025
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Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 10 July 2025
Beyond the meal, the exclusive Canada High Arctic journey winds through the icy channels of the Northwest Passage, with stops in vibrant Inuit villages, Zodiac cruises past towering glaciers, and encounters with wildlife such as whales and walruses.
—Renée Morrison, AFAR Media, 5 June 2025
This allows walruses to maintain critical body temperatures even when temperatures plunge well below freezing.
4.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
In recent years, however, more and more ivory has turned up from marine mammals (including whales, walruses, and seals), meaning that the discovery of the sperm whale tooth was a special one, providing new insights into the Valencina community’s connection to the sea.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for walrus
Cite this Entry
“Walrus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/walrus. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
walrus
noun
wal·rus
ˈwȯl-rəs 
ˈwäl-
plural walrus or walruses
: a large mammal of cold northern seas that is related to the seals and has long ivory tusks, a tough wrinkled hide with a thick layer of blubber below, stiff whiskers, and flippers used in swimming, diving, and moving about on land
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