harp seal

noun

: a dark-faced seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) of the North Atlantic that is a variable light gray with the male usually having a dark crescent on its back and sides

Examples of harp seal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Global warming pushes Arctic seals closer to extinction The IUCN update shows that the hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) has declined from vulnerable to endangered, and the bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) and harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) have moved from least-concern to near-threatened. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025 As a result, the hooded seal is listed as endangered, and the bearded seal and harp seal are near-threatened. Nell Lewis, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025 Two months ago, a team from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New Jersey, found the harp seal on the beach in dire condition. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024 The baby harp seal Paro robot is aimed at easing loneliness in older adults. Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for harp seal

Word History

Etymology

from the shape of its markings

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of harp seal was in 1766

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Cite this Entry

“Harp seal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harp%20seal. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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