krill

noun

: planktonic crustaceans and their larvae (order or suborder Euphausiacea and especially genus Euphausia) that constitute the principal food of baleen whales

Examples of krill in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The fish, which can grow to 30 feet in length and feed on krill, have typically washed up on beaches when injured or disoriented, according to scientists. James Doubek, NPR, 20 Nov. 2024 According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the seal would not be part of Zillion's normal diet, with humpback whales preferring to filter-feed on small crustaceans (mostly krill) and small fish. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 18 Sep. 2024 Though leopard seals are widespread and abundant, overfishing, retreating sea ice and warming waters mean that krill and penguins, their main food sources, are both in decline. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 In Sri Lanka, for example, an unregulated bubble of whale-watching and swimming around blue whales popped when the animals moved farther offshore, possibly following krill, but also perhaps fleeing the attention. Maggie Shipstead, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for krill 

Word History

Etymology

Norwegian kril fry of fish

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of krill was in 1907

Dictionary Entries Near krill

Cite this Entry

“Krill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/krill. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

krill

noun
: small crustaceans and their larvae that make up plankton and form a major food of baleen whales

More from Merriam-Webster on krill

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