great white shark

noun

: a large mackerel shark (Carcharodon carcharias) of warm seas that is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age and has been known to attack humans

called also white shark

see shark illustration

Examples of great white shark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Megalodon was a white or mackerel shark, related to today’s great white shark. —Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 18 Aug. 2023

Bruce was the name given to the three mechanical predators built to simulate the great white shark at the heart of the story. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2023

Approximately 800 great white sharks have visited Cape Cod waters from 2015 to 2018, researchers say. —Julia Musto, Fox News, 28 July 2023

Winton emphasized that the findings don’t mean there’s an army of 800 great white sharks mustered every day off Cape Cod beaches. —Martin Finucane, BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2023

While recent reports of harrowing shark attacks and great white shark sightings may send shivers down your spine, wildlife experts want swimmers to know that most of these incidents are actually a case of mistaken identity. —Jennifer Earl, CBS News, 5 July 2023

Ryder Dodd of JSerra rises from the pool like a great white shark flying out of the ocean. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2023

Kendall-Bar says that the team believes the seals sleep in this way to avoid sneak attacks from orcas or great white sharks. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 28 Aug. 2023

One more alert sent out during the morning at 10:43 a.m. said a great white shark was seen a quarter mile off Nauset Public Beach. —Bailey Allen, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

great white shark

noun

: a large and dangerous shark of warm seas that is quick to attack human beings and is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age

Medical Definition

great white shark

noun

: a large shark (Carcharodon carcharias of the family Lamnidae) that is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age and has been known to attack humans

called also white shark