California sea lion

noun

: a small brown sea lion (Zalophus californianus) that occurs especially along the Pacific coast of North America from Vancouver Island to Baja California and the Gulf of California and in the Galapagos Islands and that is the seal most often trained to perform in circuses

Examples of California sea lion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During the 2023-2024 El Niño, California sea lion pups saw lower growth rates, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 30 July 2026

Currently, there are 23 California sea lions, 20 northern elephant seals, and two Pacific harbor seals in care. — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 8 June 2026

There's capybaras named after food, an Asian elephant named after Kirby Drive and California sea lions named for donors. — Peter Warren, Houston Chronicle, 8 May 2026

Visitors snapped photos and gathered along the pier Thursday morning as the enormous sea lion flopped onto the docks, surrounded by dozens of smaller California sea lions that typically inhabit the area. — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 3 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for California sea lion

• amphitryon
• dandelion
• herodian
• hawaiian
• ixion
• mauryan
• orion
• procyon
• visayan
• heian
• ion
• mayan