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

Orcs are not the only silver-screen critters with vocalizations borrowed from the otherworldly repertoire of elephant seal pups. —Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025

Read Next North Carolina Headless dolphin on remote NC island prompts search for culprit, officials say May 14, 2025 2:28 PM Read Next National Baby elephant seal stabbed repeatedly on Oregon beach, feds say. —Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025

In the spring and summer, juvenile elephant seals will often drag themselves onto Oregon's beaches to spend weeks shedding their hair and skin, according to Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Institute. —CBS News, 8 May 2025

The elephant seal survived, and was monitored by NOAA's Marine Stranding Team and later relocated, the office said in a news release. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 9 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for elephant seal

• automobile
• periosteal
• peritoneal
• abele
• alkyl
• anneal
• appeal
• cartwheel
• conceal
• congeal
• coquille
• corneal